FREE GUN FRIDAY! Enter to WIN THE ALL NEW SIG Sauer 322 and SilencerCo Sparrow(tm), 22 as well as the Caldwell E-Max Shadows Pro. Close [embedded material] I will be honest and say that I am grateful that I was born before the advent of cell phones and cameras. I feel relieved that videos online show people doing stupid things. This is why I am grateful that I was married before the internet existed. Online dating can seem like a nightmare. You never know what you’re going to get. It’s worse now that the catfish phenomenon has emerged. It poses a risk to your safety and security. RELATED STORY Take Early Action to Prevent Home Invasion Are you a Catfish Fishing for Love? As I mentioned, my husband and I have been married for a while. The whole catfishing thing is new to me, and I’ll be truthful. My wife and I met back in the days when you could spot a girl in public places and must find the courage to speak up to her. You had to be open to rejection and willing to accept it. However, if you did get her number, that was only the beginning. The internet has taken a lot out of the equation the risk of meeting someone. Or is it? New technology can bring new risks, like scams. I did some research to help reduce the risks associated with online dating. It is up to you to find the right person. I hope to help you avoid falling for the wrong person. How to tell if someone is a catfish. To avoid being catfished, you need to first learn how to tell if someone is a catfish. It may seem like a small issue, but in 2020, there were 23,000 catfishing victims. The combined reported damage to the 23,000 victims was more than $605 Million. This is an average of $26,304.00 per victim. You have probably seen a catfish, regardless of whether you realize it or not. Before I knew what a catfish was, I had seen them. Like many others, I have received friend requests via social media that didn’t look right. It was a joke that “not today, Isis” was the operative phrase. We can move on. It might be difficult for someone looking for companionship and loneliness to recognize a catfish. Catfish are able to recognize the need for love and how to push the right buttons. If you are aware, you will be able to recognize when the buttons are too perfect or too on-point. There are some signs that someone is a catfish. A profile picture that looks like a model or a professional. A name that is perfect, perhaps even reminiscent of a movie star. Let’s now look at other indicators that can help you determine if you are being catfished. How to Tell if You’re Catfished. Let’s suppose that all the red flags are there, but you aren’t sure if this is a scam. The question is, how do you know if you are being catfished or not? Remember that these types of scams are often performed by professionals who are very skilled at it. There are certain hallmarks to this scam that even professionals can’t avoid. The profile picture is the best place to verify the legitimacy of the profile. Google reverse image search is a great tool to help you do this. Save the profile picture to your computer, or device, and run the reverse image search. If you find the image online, chances are that the scammer stole it. Also, look closely at their profile. It is possible that they are not legit if it is a brand new profile or they don’t have many friends. It could also be a scam if they don’t have many posts. This is not always true. Some people just don’t like social media (me included). Even those who aren’t big on social media can still post legitimate content from time to time. While you’re looking at their profile, take a look at their friends’ profiles. To make it appear legitimate, scammers may create multiple profiles and then like all their other profiles. They may also be fake if their friends’ profiles are not as fresh or empty. Warning Signs You are being CatfishedThey avoid contact other than via video or phone calls. Their profile does not have many friends. They ask for money or explicit content. Many of these scammers don’t even reside in the United States. You don’t have to fall for an online dating scam. There are steps you can take to protect yourself. Keep in touch with your potential partner. If they are not willing to talk with you in person, or via video, they will not receive anything from you. This is something you need to be firm about. Never give money to someone you’ve never met. As I have said, be wary of their profile photos. They might seem too good to true. Some scammers may use professional-looking photos. However, not everyone will do this. Always search for the photo in Google. Even if the photo looks legit, it may not be. Third, be selective about the information you share. Don’t give out too much about yourself. It’s okay to be cautious with your personal information. Even legitimate conversations are exempt from this. Sometimes intrigue can be a good thing. Fourth, be honest with them. It’s better not to lose a potential relationship than to keep a catfish on your line. Fifth, ask lots of questions. Many scammers have pre-prepared answers to common questions. The more questions you ask, they will be able to work with you. Don’t ever give them Bitcoin money. Once you send the payment, it is gone forever. Use something that offers fraud protection or stops payment options. Take it slow Overall, this is the best advice. Even if you are getting excited about the person, it’s a good idea to slow down. It takes time to build the best relationships in your life. It may feel like they are moving too quickly. Be safe and take care out there. Sign up for the Personal Defense World newsletter today to stay in the loop! Sign up for our newsletter I have read and understood the Terms of Use, Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy and I hereby accept them. Athlon may collect, store, process, and transfer my Personal Data and Non-Personal Data for the purpose of signing me up for the email newsletter. Up Next Congress Shows Frustration With Biden’s Gun Control Agenda. As Biden continues to ignore rising crimes and focus on gun control… by Larry Keane, Apr 27, 2022. WATCH RELOZONE: Season 2 TrendingStandard Manufacturing Swap-Gun.40 vs 45: It is Time to Stake the Big-Bore Auto Debate. Real Talk: Five of the Best Ballistic Eye Protection Options in 2022 – For All Budgets. I don’t know what I’s. Hollywood stars like Alec Baldwin are hypocrites, which is good news for gun nuts. They still love to make money shooting action flicks, even though they are anti-gun off-set. […]
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