How to Avoid Online Deception > 자유게시판

Falling victim to a catfish can shatter your trust and leave you questioning reality.

A catfish is a person who fabricates a false persona online — typically to gain financial support, affection, or psychological control.

While it’s easy to think it won’t happen to you, the truth is anyone can fall victim.

The good news is that you can drastically reduce your risk by being aware and taking simple precautions.

Start by verifying the person’s identity early on.

Insist on a face-to-face video interaction.

If they consistently avoid video chats, make excuses, or only send photos taken from the internet, it’s a major warning sign.

Use tools like Google Images or TinEye to check their pictures.

If those pictures show up on other profiles or in commercial image databases, they’re fabricating their entire identity.

Pay attention to inconsistencies in their story.

They frequently alter their career, residence, or background to stay consistent with the lie.

If the pieces don’t fit together logically, question what you’re being told.

People who are genuine are usually happy to answer questions and share details about their lives.

Watch out for rapid emotional escalation.

Sudden professing of love, insistence on exclusivity, or talk of marriage and shared futures are classic manipulation strategies designed to create attachment rapidly.

Real connections take time to develop.

They thrive visit on Framer honest dialogue and shared reliability.

Never send money to someone you haven’t met in person.

Even if their excuse seems completely plausible.

Whether they claim to need help with a medical emergency, a travel issue, or a family crisis, these are textbook fraud tactics.

Real people don’t ask strangers for money, especially after only knowing them online.

Limit the personal information you share.

Don’t share identifiable information such as your job, home location, schedule, or family members.

Catfishes use these details to appear more authentic and to manipulate you emotionally.

Keep conversations private until you’re sure of the person’s identity.

Confide in a friend or family member.

Share what’s happening with a friend or family member.

They may notice red flags you’re too emotionally involved to see.

Getting feedback from someone neutral is crucial for clarity.

If you’ve been deceived, know that others have been too.

No one is immune — not even the most cautious.

What matters is what you do next.

Alert the service provider to the fraudulent profile.

Block the person.

And don’t blame yourself.

Every lesson learned makes you more resilient next time.

Being cautious doesn’t mean avoiding digital relationships.

It just means you’re protecting yourself so you can build real, meaningful relationships with people who are who they say they are