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How to fry Catfish (busting scammers)


Guest SFBayAreaDD

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Guest SFBayAreaDD
I posted this on another site and thought I would share this here as well. This might be old news to many of you, but I thought I would share it anyways. I am sure many of you use the usual dating apps as well. I have noticed a HUGE uptick in catfish/scammers over the last 3 months. This is, no doubt, due to the Coronavirus and praying on people's vulnerability. I would have to say that men are much better prey then women to these schemes. 

 

Here are a few sure fire ways to find out if you feel something is just not right.

 

1. When in doubt, give out or text/call from a Google number or the like. Do not use your real number. 

 

2. If you have an iPhone and their phone number shows up with FaceTime capabilities, it is totally legit as I am not aware of any way to fake an iPhone contact.

 

3. If the number does not have FaceTime capabilities or you have an Android, here is a good way to find out if it's a scammer. Use something like globfone.com to make a call from your computer or cell. There is no way for the other person to know who is calling them, or to call you back. If it's a scammer the phone is likely to ring many times and then go to a voice mail. IF the voice mail says "the text mail subscriber is not available" then it is 99.9% a scammer. This message means that person is using a computer to send text messages, and not a cell phone.

 

4. If their pictures are suspicious, screen shot (if in app and it won't let you save them) or save them. Upload them to the Google reverse image search engine at google.com/imghp and see what the results are. This is a very good way to flush out a scammer who is using stolen pics.

 

5. Another tactic many of these people use, is they put down very generic locations, ie: downtown, North (city name), etc... Play dumb and ask them where they live. If they mention your area, as them if they are neat the lake, stadium, mall, or some other NON EXISTENT property in that part of town. 

 

6. If you ask them to video chat or facetime, they tell you their phone is broken/cracked/whatever and they can't video chat. Now, they might legitimately not want to, but usually they will just say something like "I am not ready to do that yet".

 

7. This should be #1 actually... TRUST YOUR GUT! Your gut feelings are based on your experiences. Your gut is USUALLY right! 

 

Anyone have any other suggestions/tips?

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8. Ask them what they do in daily life. And keep asking for more information. Fakers have often very poor stories or say things which don't make sense, as it is all made up. Real experience example:

Me: what are you studying?

She: i go to university

Me: yes, i got that, but what main course/subject/major?

She: i read books

Me: ehm, i read books too, but that doesn't make me a student

Me: what is the main topic you are learning at school? Maths, sciences, history, languages?

She: biology

Me: nice, what do you want to become later?

She: nurse

Me: ehm, seems like the wrong study you follow. Anyway you have much classes now with Covid19?

She: no, that is why i need money (me:red flag)

Me: oh, that is bummer. Maybe you can find a side job

She: why?

Me: to earn some money. Always good to be independent. What job you would like to do? You want a job at Walmart?

She: no, i want an engineering job

Me: (-_-) you don't even try to have a good story

She: what do you mean? Why are you asking so many questions?

Edited by T-chan
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Guest DaddyPines

Bottom line is it's not worth giving someone time that cannot face video chat with you for 1 hour... You can validate who you are talking with with a clear picture, voice and ask all the questions above

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If they start a conversation using, "hello dear". HUGE red flag!

 

They are widowed doctor serving in the military in Afghanistan with a son in boarding school and they think they would like to make a long and lasting relationship with you. I received 8 messages in one day all stating the same thing. Crazy people!

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About the military thing:

They can't tell you anything about it because it is secret (Red flag, why talk about it anyway? And military ppl say classified). But they always insist to chat further with you using Google Hangouts (Super red flag).

 

I take pranks more serious than this bs *pats on the head* XD

Edited by T-chan
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Following this topic out of interest. I don't think I have really encountered catfish but might be that I just didn't notice XD I mainly care if the conversation is something I enjoy, doesn't matter who the person is or who they claim to be for I get what I'm wanting from it already.

 

Thou, I have been called catfish sooooooooooo many times. Mainly when I refuse to give my phone number, name, picture or other personal information to some random person in internet who doesn't have patience to get to know me and talk with me first. Or because I don't really do social media.

 

Was funny actually once: "you don't have instagram?? You are fake! Catfish! Not real!". So the "Cogito, ergo sum" has turned into "I instagram, therefore I am" :D 

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Following this topic out of interest. I don't think I have really encountered catfish but might be that I just didn't notice XD I mainly care if the conversation is something I enjoy, doesn't matter who the person is or who they claim to be for I get what I'm wanting from it already.

 

Thou, I have been called catfish sooooooooooo many times. Mainly when I refuse to give my phone number, name, picture or other personal information to some random person in internet who doesn't have patience to get to know me and talk with me first. Or because I don't really do social media.

 

Was funny actually once: "you don't have instagram?? You are fake! Catfish! Not real!". So the "Cogito, ergo sum" has turned into "I instagram, therefore I am" :D

 

Yeah I’ve been called a catfish for not wanting to share personal contact info with a stranger from the internet too. I think it’s wise to consider if the person has any motivation to catfish you in the first place. Just having a casual and friendly conversation with someone isn’t grounds to say that someone has ill intent. Probably the top 2 reasons people catfish are for either coercing someone into a relationship for personal gain or to scam for money/personal info. It’s important to watch your back but also it’s important to consider motivations before throwing around assumptions and accusations in the name of excessive vigilance. Sometimes people aren’t looking to take advantage of anyone, but they’re also not looking to be taken advantage of themselves.

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Guest clumsy_little

On another website, these guys used to ask for my other social media ids because "it takes so much time to receive messages here" when I would deny and say that I can't give you my social media ids since I don't even know you (not even name), they will suddenly stop talking.

 

P.S. When I read the title, the first thing that came into my mind was you talking about frying catfish (the fishy) lol

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