Credits: Social Media
5 signs youre being catfished, according to matchmaking service
LUMA Luxury Matchmaking has issued advice on identifying a catfish, from the little-known act of “love bombing” to being secretive about their personal life.
Between using dating apps wrong and navigating the complexities of first dates, finding love in the 21st century is easier said than done. Though most relationships nowadays begin on some kind of social media app or the thousands of dating app choices, that is also where the lonely catfish lies in wait.
Catfishing is a very modern issue
LUMA Luxury Matchmaking, who earlier pointed out signs your partner is lying, has issued a helpful guide for identifying potential catfishes on dating apps.
Despite having origins dating back to the early 1900s, the term catfishing was popularised thanks to Nev Schulman’s landmark documentary on the subject in 2010. Of course, his success sparked a franchise that unearths catfishes on TV.
The troubling trend is more common than you might think, with 40% of people knowing someone who has been catfished. So, how do you spot one?
LUMA founder and president, April Davis, said that the first major sign of a catfish is their lack of presence online. In a world so obsessed with the digital space, it’s rare to find someone who doesn’t have some sort of online presence.
If youre suspicious, ask to add them on Facebook or Instagram, April said. If they refuse or the account they send you looks new, thats a red flag.
Leading on from a lack of online presence, you might find that your soon-to-be blocked beau is reluctant to share personal details. After all, it’s easier to keep the story straight if they aren’t waffling about their fabricated personal life.
Catfishes are looking to scam people with as little effort as possible, so they dont want to go to the trouble of making up and maintaining a fake identity, the matchmaker added. If you insist on knowing personal details and your new conversation partner goes quiet, you might have just dodged a catfish.
Love bombing sounds nice, but it’s a form of manipulation
Love bombing might sound like an aggressive way to kiss your partner, but it’s actually a form of manipulation often employed by catfishes.
You might find that the person skips getting to know you while instead offering adoring phrases and confessions of love as a way to keep your eyes off the truth.
April explained: Catfishes want you to feel special so that youll bond with them, and they want to do it quickly so that they can take what they want from you and move on.
If they can convince you this is a whirlwind romance, theyll have a better chance of scamming you because youll be more inclined to say yes when they ask you for things.
Catfishes won’t show their face, for obvious reasons
Perhaps the biggest clue to your new friend’s false identity is their refusal to share photos, whether those be of their face or simply things around them. If you want to push for a picture, then ask for a specific pose to wear a specific color to make sure the picture is live.
People turn to catfishing for countless reasons, but none are more insidious than wanting to rip money away from hapless romantics.
As April argued: Never give out any money or information to someone youve only met online, especially if you havent seen their face.”
