A lot of people have been catfished in one way or another. It can be something simple, or in some cases, the case of being catfished can be a lot more complicated. The world of online dating and connecting can be a lot of fun, but there are also some things that you really need to look out for. Being catfished is definitely one of them! So, how can you avoid being catfished? Luckily, there are quite a few steps that you can take, to ensure that you don't get ensnared by a catfisher, and HookupCloud has all of the tips you need to avoid this unfortunate scenario!

How can you avoid being catfished? You need to walk away from anything that doesn't feel right to you. That's the first step. Use dating sites that require you to sign in with a social media account. If someone seems too good to be true, they probably are, so be cautious. They always seem to be busy at suspicious times, they're asking you for money. All of these things should absolutely be avoided at all costs, and we're going to talk about them in more detail throughout this article.

First, it's important to understand exactly what catfishing is. Essentially, catfishing is the act of deceiving someone else online, via a fake social media or dating profile, to have them believe that you are someone who you are not. This is the quick summary, but there are a lot of variables that can to into this, and if you want to understand more about how you can avoid it, it's important to understand exactly what it is that you're dealing with, first. It is important to understand that the deception here is completely deliberate, and while there may not necessarily be malice behind the deception, there is definitely intent. For whatever reason, be it loneliness, boredom, identity issues, sex addiction, regular curiosity...this person feels the need to pretend to be someone they are not, and you need to know what to look for, so that you can do your best to avoid these people.

How can the catfisher deceive you? Let us count the ways... First of all, they will have an account setup on a dating site/app, and that account will obviously have pictures on it. People who don't put up pictures on their accounts don't often get a lot of attention, and the catfisher definitely needs attention. One of the first things you should be doing when you come across an account, particularly an account you're not sure of, is to do image searches, to see if these pictures have been randomly pulled off of the internet, and used to create a fake account. They may likely lie about who they are, what they're into, what they do for a living, whether or not they are available or unattached. The catfisher is likely to tell you anything that you wan to hear, so keep that in mind. There are a lot of ways that you can keep yourself safe, and potentially avoid catfishers altogether, so lets take a look at those.

One of the best ways that you can get started, is by signing up for sites that require you to sign in with a valid social media account, such as Facebook. Of course this isn't a fool proof method, but it definitely does lessen the amount of fake profiles you'll end up coming across. Generally speaking, it takes quite a lot of effort to create a detailed social media account on a site like Facebook, so one of the first things you should be doing, is checking out someone's social media profile, once you've connected with them online. Using a name other than their real one isn't the worst thing ever. After all, they need to keep themselves safe online as well. On the other hand, if you notice that someone is using a fake name, and you see that as a red flag, go with it. You can never be too safe, and while we all want to protect our privacy, if something that makes you uncomfortable, whether it's a fake name or any number of other things, you should trust your instincts...

When your gut tells you something isn't right, you really need to listen to it. Do those pictures seem cropped? Is he/she always busy at times of the day when one would usually be putting children to bed? Do they disappear altogether when it's bed time? Do the things they're telling you seen contrived? Does it seem to good to be true? These are incredibly important things to notice, and in this day and age with online dating and the many situations that can go along with it, it's really important that you be sharp. Not everyone is going to be who they tell you they are, and if you are talking to someone, no matter how exciting it may seem, and you have a strange feeling about who this person - you feel something is off - then walk away. Don't allow your excitement and curiosity to get the better of you. When you have a feeling that something is wrong, trust yourself, and go with it. This is not one of those life lessons that you need to learn the hard way. It is simply not worth it. You have no idea who this person is, so if they're giving you a weird vibe - bail. Simple as that.

So you and this person are getting to know one another, and that's great. You're spending some time chatting and finding out what makes each other tick. It's an exciting time! Here's the thing though, if you have a suspicion that this person is full of crap, then you know what? They are probably full of crap. Someone can tell you whatever they please, and you will never know for sure whether or not it's true by spending time online, chatting on a dating site. Be incredibly skeptical of any over the top efforts to make you believe that they are more spectacular than they are. Anything that seems to be too much usually is, and when someone is taking it to the level of ridiculous, then call a spade a spade, cut your losses, and get out. Also, it's important to be careful when it comes to someone who is overly attentive and showering you with affection and compliments. Not only would this be weird under any circumstances, but online? This is as strange as it seems. This person does not know you, and no one who doesn't know you, is going to be so keen and over the top, when it comes to catering to your emotional needs. That's just strange. Talk is cheap. Remember that.

We're all adults here, so lets be honest...we all know what grown up schedules look like these days. We know when we, or others, pick kids up and drop them off from school. We know when people generally put kids to bed. Is the person you're talking to, in addition to all of these other schedule interruptions magically busy for two hours during opening night for the latest kids movie? Seriously, these things are not all likely to be coincidence. So, if you're talking to someone, they are claiming to be single, and you've heard no mention of children, this is not a good sign. Also, if you are never able to reach them during the evening/nighttime hours, then chances are, it's because there's someone there, who they are spending time with; you know a husband or wife type of person. You will definitely get an inkling when this happens, and when you get that inkling, for crying out loud, listen to it. You are very likely being catfished by someone who is married, and/or has children. This is the kind of situation that you should really run - not walk - away from.

No, they don't. No one's do. Sure, you can have a lot of really cool things in common with someone; but come on. There is no possibility that you are going to have every single thing in common with someone and if their interests actually are so broad that they can fit into your spectrum, and the spectrum of just about anyone else, they are full of it. They are almost certainly a catfisher, and you are almost certainly being catfished. Sometimes these things are so obvious, that we don't even really notice them. We get caught up in the moment of excitement and wonder and; could this finally be the one? Wow! Yeah, no. They're not the one. This person is doing whatever they can possibly do, to make it seem like they're the best thing that could have ever come into your life. You are being manipulated emotionally. If you've never met this person, never spent a day with them, never talked to them in person or on the phone, you can be sure that anyone feeding you these types of lines is definitely a catfisher. Move on, and leave it behind you. This person is not the missing piece of your life that you've been waiting for. You'll know that person when they come around, and chances are, you'll have see them face to face at least once.

No. No. No. Did I mention - NO? Do not, under any circumstances, spend one more minute with someone who you've met a couple of times, who is already asking you for money. Seriously, if this isn't the red flag of all red flags, then what is? This behavior is creepy, it is completely ill-mannered and inappropriate, and at the very least, it is an incredibly terrible sign of things to come. Even if this person was amazing on many levels, how amazing can they really be looking to you, if you've met them once or twice, and they're already asking your for money? The freak beacon is freaking out at the sight of this person. You need to make a quick and permanent exit, and you need to do it as soon as possible. You have been catfished!

Whatever the reason for the catfisher's behavior, it's not anything that you need to feel badly about. There are a lot of lonely and unhappy people out there in the world. They'll reel in whatever they can get to bite at their bait, so don't feel like there's something wrong with you. You'd be amazed how many people have been the victims of catfishing, or attempted catfishing. The best thing you can do is avoid these people at all costs, and if you do come across them, drop them quickly and move on.

Online dating is a lot of fun, and while there are several catfishers out there, there are also a lot of other people out there, just like you, who are looking to make meaningful connections, and find the person who is right for them. This represents the bulk of the online dating users out there, and when you meet these people, you will generally know. As for the rest, we hope that this article has helped you to recognize some of the many ways that some people can deceive you when it comes to online dating and profiles. Once you've seen one or two, it becomes easier than you might think, to avoid them in the future. We wish you safe and happy online dating, as you move forward and continue making connections.

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