As time goes on, dating apps and online dating are becoming increasingly more popular. While this has helped many people find the love of their life, it has also led to quite a bit of pain for some people. Unfortunately, not everyone online is who they say they are. This fact can lead to a lot of heartbreak when a person pretends to be someone else on a dating website.
Most people know of this kind of thing as catfishing. This is when a person pretends to be someone else on social media sites. Typically, the intent of doing such a thing is to either better meet implied social criteria, such as being a certain weight, or to scam people into giving money away.
When a person pretends to be someone they are not, and enters into an online relationship with a person, they can cause some serious emotional damage. To them, the relationship is not real, but to the person they are catfishing, the relationship is very real. When the victim inevitably discovers the truth of the matter, they can be devastated.
• Emotional damage
• Potential loss of money
• Psychological damage
• Public embarrassment
None of this is fun, which is why people who use online dating sites or apps should be aware of the signs of being catfished. A person should always check the other person’s profile page, and see how much information is actually there. Is there a lot of information about the person? Are there linked social media accounts? Check the linked accounts. Fake accounts typically don’t have a lot of friends, nor do they have a lot of activity on them.
Lastly, the person should consider the interactions they have had with the other person. If the suspected catfisher has been inconsistent, or avoids meeting with the person, then there is a pretty good chance of them not being honest.
Online dating can be a great way for a person to meet “the one”, however people should be cautious. Not everyone is who they say they are online.
