{"id":76724,"date":"2022-04-19T10:09:21","date_gmt":"2022-04-19T10:09:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/?p=76724"},"modified":"2025-03-24T14:33:04","modified_gmt":"2025-03-24T14:33:04","slug":"signs-of-a-catfish","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/signs-of-a-catfish\/","title":{"rendered":"22 Signs of a Catfish in a Relationships and How to Deal"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\"Happy<\/p>\n

Did you know that <\/span>over 20,000 online romance scams were reported in the past year, resulting in losses exceeding $300 million?<\/b> <\/span><\/p>\n

This crime is rapidly increasing. In 2016, the <\/span>U.S. Federal Trade Commission<\/span><\/a> recorded 11,235 complaints about dating and romance scams, soaring to 52,593 by 2020.<\/p><\/div><\/span><\/p>\n

This staggering statistic highlights just how prevalent emotional catfishing has become, leaving countless victims heartbroken and betrayed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Catfishing isn’t limited to fake profiles—it includes manipulation, deception, and preying on emotions. <\/b><\/p>\n

Imagine pouring your heart into someone, only to realize they’re not who they claim to be. The charming texts, the endless excuses for avoiding video calls, the vague answers about their life—could these be signs you’re being catfished?<\/span><\/p>\n

How do you differentiate between a genuine connection and a carefully crafted lie? What steps should you take if you suspect emotional catfishing?<\/span><\/p>\n

Take a moment, breathe, and don’t panic. <\/span><\/p>\n

This article will guide you through the 22 signs of a catfish and provide actionable advice on how to deal with the situation immediately. Let’s ensure you protect your heart and your digital presence while navigating the tricky waters of <\/span>modern relationships<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span>What is catfishing?<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

Catfishing is simply the process of luring someone into a relationship by using a fictional online persona to troll or harass the victim, scam the victim, or steal their identity.<\/b><\/p>\n

When you catfish someone, you get the person to fall for you by presenting them with fake narratives, pictures, and videos that aren’t yours. <\/span><\/p>\n

Before you ask if this is even possible, the available stats prove that catfishing on the internet is becoming more common. <\/span><\/p>\n

When you do the maths, you will discover that <\/span>the average victim of catfishing and romance scams lost about $2400 per scheme<\/b>. <\/span><\/p>\n

Usually, a catfish relationship aims to scam the victim out of their money or inflict pain on them somehow. <\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span>Why do people catfish?<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

People catfish on the internet for many different reasons. The most common is scamming others of their hard-earned money.<\/b> Online romance scams are perpetrated mainly by people in search of quick money. <\/span><\/p>\n

Another reason people end up catfishing on social media is desperation or a lack of confidence.<\/b> When they don’t believe in themselves and think that they won’t be able to find love, they may be tempted to falsify their online details to attract the person they want. <\/span><\/p>\n

Before they can even tell what’s going on, they have become full-blown catfish. <\/span><\/p>\n

Also, people get into catfishing because of <\/span>depression or anxiety<\/span><\/a>. When someone falls into the deep pit of depression and anxiety spells, they may start seeking an exit route. <\/span><\/p>\n

Maggie Martinez<\/a>, LCSW, says<\/p>\n

Catfishing can stem from a lack of self-esteem and a desire to be cared for and loved by others.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Along the way, some may seek to experiment online by taking up a new identity and fooling around on the internet. Hence, they pick up a persona they would have preferred to have offline. <\/span><\/p>\n

Like every other thing we have discussed here, they get so deep in the act of catfishing even before they can tell what is going on. At this time, it becomes almost impossible for them to reveal their true identities. <\/span><\/p>\n

RELATED QUIZ : <\/span>Am I Being Catfished Quiz<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div>\n

<\/span>22 expert signs that you have been catfished<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

Unsure if your online romance is real or a carefully crafted illusion? These 15 signs you’ve been catfished will help you uncover the truth.<\/span><\/p>\n

1. The catfish never wants to video chat <\/b><\/h3>\n

Is there a better way to get to know someone and see them in real-time than video chats? If your online ‘other half’ always looks for the flimsiest excuses to opt-out every time you ask for a video chat, that may be a sign of a catfish. <\/span><\/p>\n

2. Meeting up is an absolute no-no<\/b><\/h3>\n

When you are in the middle of a catfishing experience, they will never agree to a physical meeting, no matter how hard you try. <\/span><\/p>\n

Even if you are in their area and you’d like to meet up for a quick chat, they would instead give you an excuse than meet you one-on-one. <\/span><\/p>\n

3. Things are going way too fast <\/b><\/h3>\n

Because their plans are usually time-tagged, it is pretty common for a catfish to come on strong to you. Their idea of a relationship is to obtain anything they can, so they would do anything to take advantage of you before you even know what’s going on.<\/span><\/p>\n

Maggie Martinez further adds,<\/p>\n

A catfish may also say they are coming to see you or want to meet up and cancel plans the day of. Be especially mindful if they ask for money prior.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Take a moment to breathe and think about that relationship. Does it feel like things are a bit too rushed? What if that is one of the signs of a catfish in your life? <\/span><\/p>\n

4. Their social media handles are shady <\/b><\/h3>\n

Social media has quickly become home to billions of people. With over <\/span>2.19 and 1.47 billion monthly users<\/span><\/a> of Facebook and Instagram, respectively, these social media platforms have become the online extension of many. <\/span><\/p>\n

One of the signs of a catfish is that they either don’t have personalized social media handles (contain their details like pictures and snippets of their lives), or they don’t even have social media handles at all. <\/span><\/p>\n

If you are dealing with someone and feel like their social media handles don’t give a significant amount of information about them, you may want to be extremely careful.<\/span><\/p>\n

5. They seize every opportunity to request financial help <\/b><\/h3>\n

On day 1, they need to pay this bill. The day after, they would have a sick sibling needing medical treatment. <\/span><\/p>\n

Before you get out of that one, they tell you that they have to bail a parent from police custody. Every day, they always have a way of asking you to give them money. <\/span><\/p>\n

One of the signs of a catfish is that they always want to be given and not to give back. <\/span><\/p>\n

RELATED READING : <\/span>15 Tips to Manage Finances in Marriage<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div>\n

6. You notice gaps in their stories<\/b> <\/span><\/h3>\n

One way to know when you are in a catfish situation is by looking at the details of the other person’s stories. When you catch them in their unguarded moments, they may give you details different from what you have always known. <\/span><\/p>\n

Also, their inability to corroborate their stories can leave you wondering how strange things can get.<\/span><\/p>\n

Maggie Martinez comments here,<\/p>\n

Pay attention to what people say when you are online dating. They may give away some information that they didn’t intend to.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Watch this video by Pamela Meyer, author of “Liespotting,” to understand how to spot a liar:<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n