Signs That You're Being Cat-fished – Is the Person on the Other End Sincere?
The internet has brought many good, and sadly, bad things to how we interact. In the old days, you could only send messages through established connections. Your receiver would have a personal knowledge of who you are, and vice versa.
Nowadays, it's so easy to get cat-fished – interact with an individual with ulterior motives.
Getting cat-fished is mostly a ploy used by scammers to extort money from unsuspecting individuals.
For you to know if the person on the other end isn't really who they claim to be, take a look at these signs. They'll help you know at a flash if you're being cat-fished or not:
Sign 1: The Stories Just Don't Add Up
The stories you hear from who you're communicating have a lot to say about who they really are.
When the other person is always relating to stories that just can't be true, then you should think about pulling the plug on the conversation.
Stories about their love life, education, likes/dislikes keep changing, and you still think it's in error. It isn't. It's just a plain scam, end the conversation right now!
Sign 2: They find it Difficult to Upload Profile Photos
One thing that tells a lot about the genuineness of a person's social media account is their profile pic. With the display pic, you can easily know whether the other person is an identity thief or not.
Also, when the person on the other end has no photo or uses an unchanged photo for too long, it's a sign that they may not be who they say they are.
To prove the identity of an individual has become easier than ever with search engines, now having the image search function.
Download the profile pic of the other person, and get more than one copy if possible. With this info, check out if any other images of the person appear online. Through this, you can find out if the image belongs to another person.
Sign 3: They Never Want to Meet
If the person on the other end claims to live close to you, then there's no problem with arranging a meet.
When you have the intention of arranging a meeting, and the person remains reluctant, it's a red flag that shouldn't be ignored.
There's a possibility that who you're talking to could be on the other side of the globe, and isn't who you think they are.
Sign 4: They are Always Contradictory in Their Responses
Imagine someone claiming to be in the US just like you, but chats you up with a good morning when its 11 pm on the East Coast! Such is an example of a contradiction that's an apparent red flag.
Sign 5: They Avoid Video Chats
In a sincere conversation, there should be open communication between both parties, video chats included.
When the other party isn't interested in video calls, then it's clear you may be in a cat-fish situation.
Sign 6: Money, Money, Money
This is one of the easiest ways to find out if you're getting cat-fished or not. When the other person claims to be the son of a public figure, and then claims to need cash from you, it's a clear sign of a scammer in action.
Sign 7: They Hammer on Being Honest
When the other person is always bent on claiming their honesty, it's a subtle sign that you may be in a cat-fish scenario.
Scammers know their greatest asset is your trust in them, and you could lose that trust easily when you see them as being insincere. They'll always use words such as "honestly", "truly" in their conversation with you.
Know that honesty is a quality that's visible without any additional help. So when someone always wants to "prove" their sincerity, there's a high chance that such a person is a fraud.
Sign 8: They Always Want to Cast You as Being the Insincere One
When a scammer has become a master of cat-fishing, this is when they use this technique.
They'll tell you words like – "don't you trust me?" or "do you doubt what I'm telling you?"
Such words are an indication of their attempt to deflect your attention from them onto yourself.
Ensure you keep your information plain, and then you'll find out if the other person is a scam with ease.
Sign 9: Different Nationality, Different Profile Pic
It's certain that there are variations in our languages, especially English. A Brit will communicate in a different manner from an American, even by text.
This could be a bit tricky, but with a trained eye, you should easily know the difference. A scammer could be in Bangkok claiming to be a British ambassador with the profile pic to "prove" it.
But when you notice some of the poorest grammar with so many repetitions, quickly end all communication.
Sign 10: They Avoid Talking On the Phone
When you talk on the phone with anyone, it becomes easier to get knowledge of their intentions.
Someone who is intent on cat-fishing you understands this, and they'll avoid talking with you on the phone at all costs.
If they want to get you to believe them, they could feign voices and use voice-assistive equipment to talk to you. Even with these aids, you can still find out from the tone of the other person if they're sincere or not.
Wrap-Up
When you take note of these signs, I'm sure that the chances of you being cat-fished greatly reduce. Don't take it for granted, as it will ensure you have access to the cleanest, scam-free communication online.