With the surge in the use of social media platforms, catfishing has become one of the most popular hacking methods. Therefore, you should never share your personal information if you interact with someone online. Always be suspicious when someone sends you a message and urges you to do business with them or befriend them. If you easily agree to whatever they say, then you risk your security.
Moreover, catfishers are smart they play with people’s emotions and harm them in different ways. It is quite difficult for people to identify them, but it is not impossible. In this blog, we have listed a few signs that you should be aware of.
What Is Catfishing?
Catfishing has become one of the most dangerous forms of online deception. Hackers trick people by creating fake profiles that look real. The identity looks real, and people fall for this scam quite easily. Hackers typically use others’ information and images to create their own identities to trick people. They even make up their own stories and use photos to support their identity. Everyone can be a victim of catfishing. Therefore, it is highly important to enhance your internet security.
For example, if an unknown person befriends you or sends you some emails or attachments. You should never download or open it. Always ensure that you have an antivirus installed in your system. So, even if you have downloaded the files, the antivirus solution will remove them. If you do not have an antivirus or security suite installed on your computer, you should ask your internet service provider to provide you with one. You can consider the example of Windstream! It takes the users’ internet security seriously and offers a security suite that McAfee powers. You can contact the support team of Windstream Internet for further information about its internet security.
Signs of Catfishing
Below we have listed the possible signs of catfishing. So, give them a good read.
They Avoid Video Conferences
Whether you are doing a business deal or befriending a catfisher, they will give excuses and never agree to a video chat. Most of the time, they will even avoid audio calls, as they do not want you to know who they are. So, next time if you are suspicious about someone, ask for a video call.
No Online Presence
There are so many social media platforms, and it is not possible for people to stick to one platform only. No matter how credible a person looks, you should always search their profile on other social media platforms. For example, ask yourself why a businessman you met on Facebook is not on Linkedin or Instagram. This is a major red flag if they do not have their profile on other platforms. You should avoid any further interaction. Also, make sure you do not open any attachments they send.
No or Few Friends
Today, people love making new connections and have several friends and followers. If you have just befriended someone, check their profile to see how many friends they have. Thus, if they do not have a social circle, then this is a sign that they have other intentions. You should block such accounts right away because they can catfish you for malicious reasons.
A New Profile
A recent social media account is another sign of catfishing. If they have just created their account and instead of adding friends, they are interested in you, then you should avoid them.
Professional Photos
Most of the catfishers use professional photos on their profiles to look credible or have fewer photos. They are trying to impersonate as they only have access to a few photos of the person. So, they do not even change their profile picture. Even if the profile is old but has not changed in years, you should be careful. If you are already interacting with such a profile, ask them to send you a casual selfie, not a professional picture.
They Ask for Personal Information
Always remember that only hackers and catfishers are interested in knowing your sensitive data. For example, your loyal fan or follower will not ask your social security number. So, next time if you feel that someone is asking you probing questions, avoid them. You can even ask some questions to them and if they avoid it, then be careful. Thus, block such accounts right away and do not make the mistake of sharing anything sensitive.
To End Things Off
Do not interact with strangers on social media. It might sound like basic advice, but you should consider it. Nothing is more important than your online privacy and always trust your intuition. Moreover, do not give away your details to anyone, even if someone is sharing them with you. Block the accounts you are suspicious of and enhance the security of your social media accounts too.
