Catfish is no longer recognized as a term that is defined as a fish, now when people hear the term catfish they think of the show. They think the idea of someone using a fake profile to lure someone in. The Internet is a scary place where people all over the world can communicate with each other. According to Pew research, in 2005 44 percent of people said that online dating is a good way to meet people and increased to 59 percent in 2013. The age group 25-34 had the largest percentage for using online dating services with 22 percent, 35-44 came in second and 18-24 came in third.
In the early 2000s, online dating wasn’t something that you admitted to people because it was seen as desperate. However, in 2013 the percentage of people who viewed online dating as desperate went down. It’s easy to deceive people when you’re sitting behind a screen. Since a whole entire façade has been created it is less likely that these two people will ever meet. One-third of people who are part of the online dating world don’t go on an actual date with the person.
If you are one who enjoys participating in online dating you must be smart about whom you talk to and what you tell them. It’s easy to get scammed over the Internet and while falling for someone due to what they’re telling you. I have seen so many Catfish episodes of people sending money to the person they’re talking to and the person doesn’t even exist. That’s why when it comes to online dating it is good to do your research on the person. If you notice any red flags, keep them in mind and maybe even ask them about it. Obviously you can’t do a thorough research like the guys on Catfish do, but any research is better than none at all.
Try to Google their profile picture and see what pops up, and Google their name. It can tell you some things you need to know about the person. A red flag can also be that the person has no profile pictures. How do you know what the person looks like? How are you able to tell if this person is saying who they say they are? These same questions can also come up if the person NEVER has time to video chat. There’s always an excuse as to why they can’t talk on the video chat. If you’re seeing any of these signs, put the relationship on pause or even end it because you just might be getting catfished.