Have you finally met your perfect woman online or are you just being catfished? The lady you’ve been dating via the internet for months but have never met in person could actually be a troll looking to scam you out of money, a married woman (or man) or even an ex trying to get information or lead you on in order to hurt you. But how do you know if you’re being catfished or truly falling in love with the person you’ve made an online connection with? Check out these signs.
She always has excuses for not meeting in person.
Maybe the woman you’ve been chatting with lives across the country and actually can’t afford to fly out to see you. But have you also offered to fly out to see her, only to have her make excuses? Or perhaps she lives within driving distance, but always claims to be working or busy with school. Anyone who wants to be in a relationship will make time to meet you after several months—even if it’s only for a quick coffee.
She never talks about herself.
If you’ve been chatting for months and you still don’t know what she does for a living (or if she’s a full-time college student), if she’s an only child or where she grew up, it could be a red flag that she’s only focused on you. On the flip side, good scammers know how to create a backstory and may take copious notes in order to keep their story straight. But “normal” relationships are about sharing important things about your life. A lack of details could be a tell-tale sign that you’ve being catfished.
You’re noticing inconsistencies in her stories.
First, she says she’s living abroad, and that’s why you can’t get together. But then she mentions she’s leaving for a class but it’s 10 p.m. where she supposedly lives. Or perhaps her plans are constantly changing; she’s flying in for the weekend and then forgot she had to work. Even if she’s legitimately who she says she is, being flaky can be something to weigh when considering relationships.
She wants something from you.
If she keeps mentioning that she might get evicted because she doesn’t have enough money to pay her rent or that she can’t afford to see you because she’s broke, these may be not-so-subtle hints that she’s hoping you’ll send money. Don’t fall for it. Chances are, once you send that money, you’ll never hear from her again.
Her social media profiles are barren or haven’t been updated lately.
One ways trolls try to trick people is by creating fake profiles on social media sites like Facebook. If you notice that her profile is very new, or she barely has any friends or photos, you may want to reconsider your relationship.
