I was Catfished

[Ell93]

So last week a guy messaged me on this app.
His profile seemed pretty normal but some of his pictures look very professional/model like (there was a few candid pictures and selfies). I brushed any doubts away when he told me he was a fashion designer. I thought if he's in that industry then of course he'll have a few "model"photos taken of him.

We got talking and he told me he been working on corsets. He said he had an Instagram page recently set up dedicated to his designs. I decided to check it out. It was a private account so I had to follow him in order to view his content. There was just one post (a selfie) but he sent me some images of the corsets he was working on via direct message.
I didn't really talk to him that much as I was busy and wasn't really spending much time on Instagram. It was only over the weekend we got talking a bit more. He seemed nice, I was talking about work and he was really supportive. Anything that I wasn't comfortable with he apologised and backed down straight away.
It wasn't until he posted to his story that I got my suspicions. He posted a screenshot of him facetiming with his *** and niece. I thought this was really weird because this was a new account supposedly dedicated to his designs. He only had 5 followers and 1 post so why would he be sharing a screenshot of his "personal life" via his stories.
I've used second Instagram accounts in the past because the content was going to be activism based. As such the content I posted would reflect this. I wouldn't share personal moments on that account.

I thought back to this guys profile on this app. The photos did look professional so I took a screenshot of them and found a website that could do a reverse image search.
In one photo the guy was wearing a watch so the results came back with the Facebook page of the watch company. The same image the guy used on this app was on this Facebook page. The photo on Facebook had the name of the model. It was a completely different name to the guy I was talking to (which obviously can be justified but I was still suspicious)
I searched the guy in the photos name on Instagram and I found his account. He is a model in Australia and is still active on that account. He was born and still lives there.

The guy who I was really talking to told me he was born and raised in Chicago and now lives in South London.

All the photos on this guy's profile came from the models Instagram page. He also took the facetime screenshot from there too. (It was originally taken 2 years ago).

When the guy I had been talking to messaged me this morning he asked me what I was looking for. He said he wanted a long term relationship. I responded by telling him what I knew and if he's really wants to be in a LTR then he shouldn't catfish people and use fake photos. He then played dumb and asked what I was on about. When I sent him the models Instagram page he blocked me on Instagram and blocked me on this app.

This is frustrating because I didn't think people at my age would be playing these type of games. It's time wasting and it strings people along. I don't know why this guy used fake photos. If he wanted to hide his identity that's fine. There are ways of doing that. Ive been messaged by guys who don't show there face but they still know how to hold a conversation. Also, if he's insecure about his appearance then he shouldn't be looking for a LTR. Personally, I don't see anyone as ugly or unattractive. Looks are only skin deep. It's your personality and charm that makes you attractive.

If you use a fake photo it's doomed from the start. Just wear a mask or something. Take a picture of you from the back. When you're comfortable then you can send a selfie.

Any relationship based on lies will not work out. There's no coming back from that.

He actually said he wanted a LTR! What was he going to do if we met up?!! He really wasn't slick I included in my profile that I was an investigator. Why would you try to catfish and investigator lol?

This man has no place here so Ive reported his account. Hopefully no other women will get played by this man.

[Wo****]

Report him as a scammer and fake photos via the report profile link.

[Deleted Member]

Unfortunately he was probably lying about his age too. I’m glad you didn’t meet up with him and then find this out though and well done on following your instincts. We’ve got to be really careful. ❤️❤️

[Deleted Member]

It’s a shame someone wasted your time but this is very commun. Mostly happening to men but it shows anyone could be affected. 
It’s prob someone fishing for some personal info then create another fake account based on your give away stuffs. I hope you didn’t send  any pictures of any kind... it will end up on another sites! 

[Strengan]

You didn’t think anyone your age would be doing things like this? 😂 Millennials are somehow more moral than Generation X? (Baby boomers can speak for themselves 😉). I get a stream of fake profilers claiming to be women from the US failing to scam me. Who knows what age they are but I doubt they are pensioners!

[TheBookCollector]

Sadly Catfishing happens all to frequently in the online world. All you can do is learn from the occurance and develop counter measures, like reverse lookup images first.

Chances are he was trying to groom you for a romance con and would have started to ask for donations to get his latest corset line out.

I never give away personal details until ive met someone in person and had a face to face chat over a coffee or facetime.

[Adamc90]

I'm so sorry ell! I wish people wouldn't lie about themselves they're doing themselves a disservice as well. They could find someone that likes them for them but not after they do that. So deceitful

[metalhead359]

With all the positive sides of the Internet it also has its flaws just like everything else. Glad you caught up on him before meeting. Friendship relationship they both build up on trust if there's no trust no relationship.

[statictickler]

I have been on this site for a year now. A huge chuck of women that I have talked to on this site have been catfishes. Just like you, I suspected they werent who they are based on their pictures. I did a quick picture search using google and found that their pictures came from porn stars. It can be frustrating as hell and has made me reconsider being on this site because I spend way too much time reporting profiles instead of actually meeting someone or talking to them.

[Deleted Member]

Always be suspicious, especially on platforms like this, until you can positively confirm the person is who they claim to be. I experienced something similar, only it ended up being a guy, posing as a woman.

[so****]

That's what ugly assholes do. They use pics of hot guys to reel you in hoping you won't mind when you find out it's not them lol stick to people with verified accounts. Makes life a lot easier 👍 it's the exact same way with scamming women on here. They use pics of smokin hot models to get the attention of lonely dudes, then beg for *** or gift cards. I like to fuck with them & have my fun before I tell them to hit the road 😁 serves em right. Hell with em.

[SubJr]

Most profiles across sites have fake pictures and profiles unfortunately. It's difficult to share photos because of that very reason. I've had similar experience but mostly they end up asking to pay *** beforehand. To filter out such profiles I usually put up my limits beforehand . Most profiles end up blocking or not responding .

[Ell93]

  6 hours ago, Bounty said:

Report him as a scammer and fake photos via the report profile link.

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Yeah, I already have thanks x

[Ell93]

  6 hours ago, FabSeverus said:

It’s a shame someone wasted your time but this is very commun. Mostly happening to men but it shows anyone could be affected. 
It’s prob someone fishing for some personal info then create another fake account based on your give away stuffs. I hope you didn’t send  any pictures of any kind... it will end up on another sites! 

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Luckily I didn't. There was an off feeling about him but he knew how to lure me in. Glad I clocked him out early.

[Ell93]

Yeah I know now. I'm very reluctant giving out my number. I should have been like that with my social media too. His corset line was probably fake too

[Ell93]

  6 hours ago, Adamc90 said:

I'm so sorry ell! I wish people wouldn't lie about themselves they're doing themselves a disservice as well. They could find someone that likes them for them but not after they do that. So deceitful

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Exactly! There's no point carrying on if it starts out with lies

[Ell93]

  5 hours ago, statictickler said:

I have been on this site for a year now. A huge chuck of women that I have talked to on this site have been catfishes. Just like you, I suspected they werent who they are based on their pictures. I did a quick picture search using google and found that their pictures came from porn stars. It can be frustrating as hell and has made me reconsider being on this site because I spend way too much time reporting profiles instead of actually meeting someone or talking to them.

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I guess we just have to be more vigilant. I probably won't be as trusting going forward

[Ell93]

  5 hours ago, Utah89033 said:

Always be suspicious, especially on platforms like this, until you can positively confirm the person is who they claim to be. I experienced something similar, only it ended up being a guy, posing as a woman.

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Damn. We're going to have to start asking people to take pictures with the daily newspaper 😂

[allshookup]

Damn. We're going to have to start asking people to take pictures with the daily newspaper 😂
That's what I do right off the start. I have yet one female to do so.
It's not just this site but every site I have been on, it's the same thing.
Imo, this is a great site. They do what they can to get rid of the fake low lifes who are here to scam us.
Like in a lot of posts I have read on here, patience is the key!

[Deleted Member]

You really do wonder what some people’s endgame is. Maybe only ever suggest meeting up in poorly lit night clubs, or fancy dress parties? Could always wear a leather bondage mask I guess? Seriously though, baffling. Nice investigation mind! You are ON IT.

[Martin_S1969]

😂 You got some good skills girl!
Well done! I found your story interesting.
Shame you’re bit far from me as we’d make
A good team! x

[Ca****]

I don't know how it is for you ladies, but as a guy who has recently joined the online dating world, I literally feel targeted by catfish accounts... It's insane the amount of time I've completely wasted talking to fake accounts, more often then not that are trying to scam me via "needing gas *** to come hook up" (before even seeing what I look like or exchanging even 3 messages 🙄) or "who want a serious relationship" and will seem sincere for awhile, only to mention their birthday coming up after hours or even days of messaging and constantly reminding me how they'll have no one to celebrate with blah blah blah send me a gift card... I've seen so many different versions of these scams now, as well as been blackmailed with my own compromising pictures (send me $500 or I'm sending these photos that I tricked you into sending me by acting like a girl who was interested in you for days to all of your family and friends). The blackmailing happened the first time on Christmas day after we had been messaging for a week, I told them go nuts and well, they did lol... They'll even catfish you simply to try to collect as much of your personal information/pictures as possible so they can then use it as their own. Now typically you can spot them right away since their english is usually more broken then my dream of finding Mrs. Right via online dating, but you'll encounter some with perfect english as well. Anyways I'm rambling now... What I've started doing is within minutes of meeting someone new online, I ask them for a selfie where they're holding up 3 fingers near their face (nobody ever poses with 3 fingers up) and then compare that picture with the pictures on their profile or that they've sent. I used to ask for them to hold a note with whatever written on it, but they can fake that pretty convincingly I found out.

Way too long of a story short... Don't share private photos or sensitive information with anyone you don't know and trust well. Don't waste your time and energy on this catfish army... Use the 3 fingers or your own personalized pose when you ask them for a verification photo. Online dating is already miserable enough without these no-lives making things that much more ***ful.. don't let them take up any more of your time then you have to.

(I apologize to the English teachers out there, this was horrible but I was rushed😅)

[ey****]

it'd be really difficult to get the stats properly - but - based on *reported* cases (to banks and/or police) women actually are scammed out of more via catfish then men

But, I think there's largely a difference in approach.  Men often targeted for small amounts on 'quick wins' whereas women targeted for larger amounts via a long con. 

I also think men are more likely to be vocal about "all these people are just scammers" - whilst there's a good chance that most women don't even reply the scam message

[CherryP]

Sorry to hear you got catfishes.  Unfortunately, it happens a lot.  When I used vanilla dating sites, I used to always attract the same type (the ones that are in the US army but have been posted to Nigeria and are in need or food/iTunes vouchers but can’t get any because their bank accounts have been frozen while they are on this mission) 🤣.  Luckily, I could spots these scammers a mile off so used to wind them up and pretend to go along with for a bit 🤣

[cautiousswitch]

  On 4/26/2021 at 6:54 PM, Ell93 said:

This is frustrating because I didn't think people at my age would be playing these type of games. It's time wasting and it strings people along. 

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What age? The guy catfished you; he could be a ***ager.  That still wouldn't make it right, but it would make things more understandable.  Report him, assume he's just a kid, forget about him and move on.