What if the person you fall for online isn’t who you think they are? The world of catfishing is shady and can uncover the truth behind the screen.
What is catfishing
The term “catfishing” became popular in 2010 after the documentary Catfish and the 2012 MTV series were released. In 2014, the term was added to the dictionary.
Catfishing occurs when someone creates a fake online identity, pretending to be someone else to trick people. The perpetrator often steals other people’s photos or social media accounts to create a new identity.
They usually use this identity to blackmail people, scam, or pursue relationships by acting as someone else. This can happen on dating apps and video games.
Danger of catfish
The dangers of catfishing can vary, as you may think you will know someone, but you don’t. Catfishing can end in broken hearts and disappointment but also in tragedy. Meeting up with someone who’s catfishing can result in kidnapping, trafficking, and predatory sexual behavior toward minors and adults, and much worse.
When student Carolina Gonzalez was asked why she believes people catfish, she said, “believe that people catfish die to society’s standards of beauty in this generation. Because many people feel as if they aren’t ‘good enough’ it makes it harder for people to feel comfortable in their own skin which can lead to catfishing.”
An example of this is a former Police officer named Austin Lee Edwards, who was 28 at the time. He pretended to be a teenager or “catfished” a teen girl online. He traveled across the country to meet her in her southern California home.
Where he killed three of her family members and then decided to set her house on fire and take the girl with him 30 miles away northwest of Riverside before police officers shot him. The girl wasn’t injured.
This case shows how dangerous it can be to talk to someone you don’t know in person. It can lead to crazier consequences than you know.
When in 10th grade Adria Hernandez was asked why she thinks people catfish she said, “I believe people catfish to get attention and feel like they are superior.”
How to prevent this from happening to you
How to avoid this from happening to you: AI has become a popular thing in recent times, and it’s not helping the victims of catfishing at ALL. AI can create photos that seem real to the eye but are just a computer creating a photo. How to prevent this from happening to you is to never give out your personal information to someone you don’t know.
Do not send someone money you don’t know, as they might take it and then leave. Don’t send intimate photos of yourself, as it can be used as blackmail.
How to spot someone who’s trying to catfish
Low follower amount a catfish will usually have only a limited number of followers, which is a strategy to minimize exposure and lower the risk of getting caught. Often will avoid trying to be seen via Facetime calls or audio calls, as they don’t want to reveal who they are.
Having the same profile picture for a long time can also signal a catfish as they don’t have many photos of their identity. Weird stories that have conflicting details about their daily experience.
Face-paced relationships can also indicate a catfish that can also ask for money-sensitive information or pictures. Scammers will use overblown expressions of affection or commitment too quickly.
Catfishing preys on our desire for connection. Staying aware of all the red flags and prioritizing real-world relationships is important to stay safe online. Protecting yourself is important.
