Warning Signs

For as long as the idea of catfishing has been around, there is a sense of mystery surrounding it. What kind of person could be so self absorbed to be able to hurt another person like that? Is there a point of putting someone through such turmoil? What is the goal of the catfish? Sometimes there is a financial goal in catfishing. However, sometimes there is no goal. A lot of the time, it is simply a desire to feel accepted and desired. The idea of reasoning surrounding online deception is to be able to express the individual’s ideal self (Campbell and Parker, 2022). It is easy to hide behind a computer screen and fake profile and depict the person you wish you could be rather than disclosing the characteristics of their true self. Most of the time, the desire is to not hurt the intended target, it is to simply modify who they are in order to increase the potential significant other’s value (Campbell and Parker, 2022). A study conducted by (Campbell and Parker, 2022) revealed that the most common trait for the catfish to have is impression management. Impression management is the need to adjust one’s characteristics in order to control a social interaction. It is thought that the need to change who someone is in order to be able to feel like they have control over the outcomes of certain interactions is not necessarily a surprise when speaking about catfishing. Afterall, the main reason people catfish is in an attempt to present themselves as a better or as their ideal version of themself.

Catfishing for the victim tends to start as an initial attraction to an individual online. This can be through online platforms. Plenty of catfishing cases do not actually start on dating websites. Within every forum, there is risk of falling victim to catfishing. Platforms such as Tinder, have extremely high rates of individuals faking profiles due to the high number of individuals using the website. Typically, catfish are in search of seemingly vulnerable individuals (Buchanan and Whitty, 2014). Interestingly, (Buchanan and Whitty, 2014) found that naive ways of thinking that may be characterized as the belief in love at first sight, are more likely to fall victim to an online scammer. A study conducted by (Campbell and Parker, 2022) found there is a gender difference on who will most likely fall victim to dating deception. As it turns out, women are more likely to fall victim to catfish whether it is a financial scam or, simply, an “everyday” instance of a catfish (Campbell and Parker, 2022). Also, women are more likely to show greater upset after the conclusion of the relationship with the scammer; whether it be a financial scam or a classic catfish case (Buchanan and Whitty, 2014). Despite this fact, men are still able to fall for a catfish scam. Men are still likely to experience great upset after the end of the intimate relationship, betrayal or loss of money as an outcome. These experiences are not linked to one gender, but research shows a greater risk in women (Campbell and Parker, 2022).

Through every study we have examined, our best advice on how to avoid a catfish is through being aware. If something feels off, it probably is. If something seems too good to be true, it probably is. Being aware of the possibilities while online dating can drastically change the outcome of your online dating experience. If you see a profile of this buff, tan, 6’ 4”, blonde surfer online located in the heart of Wisconsin who loves puppies and is an expert communicator, maybe give it a little thought before planning out a future with him. Use context clues when viewing profiles and especially when engaging in conversations with people online. If you show knowledge surrounding online deception, you are less likely to fall victim to it. Ask questions, ask to video call, be specific when messaging them. Online dating is a wonderful thing that has come about during the 21st century, so take advantage of it! Online dating nowadays provides a wide range of experiences that you may not have if you don’t at least try!