Yes my headline name on twitter is Dr. Catfish Charlie. No this is not because I Catfish people despite what pizza loving sports writers will tell you. Think of me as more of a Homer Simpson battling the great Catfish, Jay Sherman. Outing catfish is more my game and I like to call it noodling. By now you know Catfishing actually happens to people but you probably think it will never happen to you. Chances are you’ve already crossed paths with a catfish on social media. These people do this for many reasons particularly: Boredom, Money, A Crush they are afraid to talk to, and because there is just downright malicious people in this world. If you’re using social media to connect with possible mates heed these warning signs:
30. When confronted of possibly being a catfish they get angry and change their social media pictures up, possibly with a cartoon avi.
29. They live grand and amazing lifestyles but don’t really hold a job.
28. They seem too good to be true.
27. They have this amazing job with this amazing company but there is no signs on the internet they actually work for that business.
26. They post pictures of places they have allegedly been but these look more like screen caps.
25. They will quickly tell you that you have the deepest connection they have ever experienced talking to another person. This will soon be followed with an I love you.
24. They will slip up and accidentally say something that happened to you in your past.
23. They went to the same school as you but you nor your friends seem to remember them.
22. They may only have one social media profile.
21. They slip up and talk about their actual girlfriend or boyfriend.
20. They slid into your DMs.
19. There’s 30+ dudes/chicks constantly thirsting on Her/His profile.
18. They’re the distant 8th cousin of your best friend but your friend has never heard of them or their family.
17. Their ex harmed them irreparably and this is why they’re hesitant to come meet you in person.
16. The crush starts to convince you to date someone you know from your past. Someone you never gave the time of day to actually get to know or date before.
15. They have a crazy fear of fisherman and fishing rods.(ok one fishing joke)
14. A financial emergency arises and they need you to Venmo them a small fortune in order to save their “Dog, Cat, Aunt, Sister, Cousin, Parent, Etc.”.
13. They tweet about having gone out in your town but never bothered to hit you up to meet up.
12. The things they tell you privately don’t match the details they put out in social media.
11. Their close personal friends with a d list celebrity yet have no pictures with them.
10. Their “current photo” is date stamped from 1999.
9. They go dormant and ghost you for weeks at a time and come up with the craziest excuses as to why.
8. Their pictures look like the same person but in this picture they have a mole on their face and in this one they don’t.
7. They contradict facts about their friends and family they have already told you about and then make up weird excuses why they did that.
6. When you search the phone number someone else’s social media profile comes up.
5. He/She uses a google voice number.
4. His/Her pictures can be found on Getty Images.
3. The voice on the phone sounds like a Woman/Man pretending to be a Man/Woman.
2. He/She refuses to meet up with you in person.
1. He/She wants you to send her/him money so that she can come visit you.