Valentine's Day - WATCH OUT FOR CATFISH! - On Tech Street On Tech Street

Another Valentine’s Day approaches and, yet again, we are talking about online romance scams. Lonely hearts are open hearts. And an open heart is a target!

Every year and all year long people fall for online lover’s who may or may not be real. They may or may not be a man or women. You just don’t know. The internet is a great place to be anybody. Ever heard of being catfished?

Catfishing is all about creating a person who does not exist to cause some harm to another person. Sometimes its to make money other times is all about humiliating and embarrassing someone. It almost always happens on social media or a dating site.

15 Celebrities Who Have Been Catfished

How would you know you’re being catfished?

There are some very definite signs you’re being catfished. Understand that these clues are not always a definite sign of a catfishing scheme but you better pay attention to them.

Is your new romantic interest quick to to get involved with you? Beware! Remember this is a a person who, right now, is just text on your computer screen.
Is your new friend too good to be believe? Is his or her profile so incredible that you can’t believe they are interested in you? If it seems to good to be true then it probably is! How many time have you heard that?
Just awesomely handsome or knock out beautiful! Yeah right! There are a trillion photos online and they could pick any of them to send you. The image maybe stolen. And you’ll be able to find it on the internet when you do an image search. But it could be the actual person. Don’t fall for a pretty face even if it is real.
Are they pictured in uniform or other official picture? Again this picture could be stolen. They could have stolen someone’s identity or hijacked their social media website. That’s a sure sign of a catfish!
These are professional lovers and crooks you’re dealing with so be alert. They now how to be attentive, thoughtful and complimentary of your life and achievements. They are experts in online seduction.
They will proclaim their undying love for you pretty quickly. Don’t go there with them. Take your time and make them prove everything they say and do.
You can usually find them on a free internet dating site. Why? Because its easier and these sites do not have stringent requirements about who can use the site or identification methods
They claim to be rich and they sent you that beautiful photo. They claim to be famous but you never heard of them. They claim to be successful in business or pro sports in one way or another. Don’t buy it until you park your ass in the seat of their private jet!
They want you to keep your relationship a secret. Big no-no! Here is a fact of online romance you need to be alert to; keeping secrets from friends and family could mean they are not just catfishing you but maybe married and playing a little side game. What with the secrecy?
They want to use an instant messenger, email or any other service that can’t be monitored by the dating site. This means that they could be known to the dating sites and have been caught catfishing before.
Are they geographically available? Don’t play that long distance game with love. Especially a new relationship. If you can’t meet them for a coffee or lunch because they are in another state , or country, then forget it. The last thing you need is to sit around longing for them wondering what they are doing. That’s a fool’s game.
Don’t open your life to them and don’t be quick to ‘friend’ them on social media. Look, people reveal too much about themselves on social media. Its called over sharing. And the scammers and catfishers know this. Once you let them into your life it could be a nightmare. Don’t talk about your money, your job or family. Be extremely careful about people who sends you friend requests that you don’t know. Don’t ‘friend’ the friend of a friend.
Don’t ever, ever send money, lend money, invest in anything or allow your bank accounts to be used to move money or store money. Beware if your new romance asks you to “help them out of a tough spot.” They are rich remember? Don’t pay to have them visit you. The minute money becomes a issue you need to haul ass!
Your friends can see what you can’t! Listen to them. People who have known you a longtime will see you change or begin to act in ways you have not before. They will sound the alarm. LISTEN TO THEM!

Now you know.