How to spot a catfish on dating: tips to avoid it

Online dating may seem like an easy solution to finding love, but it also comes with risks. Modern dating apps are often a playground for ill-intentioned individuals looking to deceive and manipulate. This can quickly become a frustrating and discouraging experience. As a Matchmaking Agency, we make it a priority to provide you with a premium matchmaking service, where safety and reliability are paramount. Our values ensure an authentic and risk-free experience, protecting you from scams and enabling you to meet genuine people.

What is catfishing?

To properly explain how to spot a catfish, it is first vital to understand what catfishing is. This curious term refers to a false identity created on the Internet with the intention of lying to and deceiving someone emotionally or financially. Many people wonder what catfish means in the context of relationships. We could say that it is when a person pretends to be someone else in order to gain the trust, esteem, and in the most serious cases, the money of the other person.

When you think about what a catfish is on the internet, imagine a profile that seems too good to be true. For example, Brad Pitt is probably not on dating platforms. Therefore, you must understand that photos can be stolen from social media, data can be fabricated, and interactions are often designed to manipulate your feelings and emotions. A catfish may claim to live in another city, or even another country, to have the best job in the world, and to be a high achiever. They may also make excuses to avoid meeting up and seeing you in person. Unfortunately, these tactics can cause victims to become emotionally involved before they realize the truth.

Signs of a catfish

Recognizing the signs of a catfish is crucial to protecting yourself. Here are some warning signs to help you spot them more easily:

Inconsistent information: stories or anecdotes that change every time they are told, with different details, as if the catfish were lying.

1. They don’t want to meet up: there’s always a good excuse to avoid seeing you in person and not seeing you face to face, not even through FaceTime. Suspicious, right?Profiles that are too good to be true: Do their photos look professional, as if they were taken by a modeling agency or for an advertising campaign? Many catfishers resort to stealing images of celebrities or models to benefit from their attractiveness.
2. Rapid emotional attachment: they tend to fall in love with someone else, so it’s normal for them to send you signals or messages the next day that they already have butterflies in their stomach. They are also looking for you to feel them so they can manipulate you.
3. Requests for money or favors: If the other person is asking you for money shortly after meeting you, it’s clearly a red flag and one of the most obvious examples of catfishing: complete emotional manipulation that leads to benefiting the other person’s finances.

If you notice one or more of these warning signs, it is wise to step back and re-evaluate.

Why people fall for catfishing

You may wonder why people fall for these traps, even when they know what catfishing is in dating.

The answer usually lies in vulnerability. It depends on what emotional stage you are at in that precise moment. Perhaps you are more vulnerable and lonely, and that person is aware of it and takes advantage of your hope and desire for connection.

That’s why it’s vital to forget about apps for meeting people where catfishing happens every day, and contact an expert matchmaking agency where the priority is the demands and safety of clients. That way, you can find someone who is attentive, valuable, emotionally available, open, and real.

How to protect yourself

Simply learning to spot a catfish is not enough. You protect yourself 100% when you act with caution, using reason and logic, and when you set healthy boundaries in your relationships. We recommend the following when meeting new people:

• Professional matchmaking agency: essential, as all candidates are interviewed in person, meaning the risk of catfishing is zero.
• Get to know the other person thoroughly: first dates are for getting to know each other, so it is highly recommended to ask questions you need to know, such as: work, aspirations, dreams, family… Authentic people are consistent in their answers.
• Create an environment of trust: as you get to know each other better, an environment of trust will develop, based on communication and mutual respect.
• Avoid mixing money matters: no matter how convincing the story may be, never transfer funds to someone you only know online.

Trust your instincts: if something seems “strange,” it usually is.

The safest alternative: professional matchmaking

Although online dating can be exciting, it is also unpredictable. Many people end up disappointed after encountering fake profiles and scams. This is where choosing an introduction agency can change everything. Our process eliminates the uncertainty of wondering if the person on the other side of the screen is real. Instead of wasting time and energy on unreliable platforms, invest in real, genuine, and meaningful encounters with people who fit your goals and values.