12 signs you are talking to a catfish

The signs

1. Their photos look like a magazine. Studio lighting, perfect angles, no friends or ordinary moments. Stolen photos usually come from models, influencers or fitness accounts.
2. Only a handful of photos exist. Real people can usually send a new photo on request: holding a spoon, giving a thumbs up, in today's outfit.
3. They will not video call. The camera is always broken, the signal is always bad, or the timing is never right.
4. They want to move off the app fast. Scammers push you to WhatsApp, Telegram, Google Chat or text early, where the dating app can no longer detect and ban them.
5. They say "I love you" within days. Love-bombing creates urgency and lowers your guard.
6. Their job keeps them far away. The FTC says the most common lies are being stationed at a military base overseas or working on an offshore oil rig (FTC). Doctors with international aid groups and engineers on contract abroad are also common.
7. Details do not add up. The age in their bio, the school they mention and the photos do not match. Writing style changes between messages, which can mean several people run the account.
8. The name search finds nothing, or someone else. A real adult usually has some public trace. A name that leads to a different face is a strong sign.
9. The social accounts are brand new. A Facebook or Instagram created recently, with few friends and no tags, often exists only to support the story.
10. They dodge specific questions. Ask which neighborhood, which gym, which coffee shop. Vague answers to local questions suggest they have never been there.
11. A crisis appears. Hospital bills, customs fees for a package, a frozen bank account, a ticket to come see you.
12. They ask for money, gift cards, crypto or photos. This is the point of almost every catfish. Gift cards were how 24% of people who lost money to a romance scam in 2022 paid (FTC).

How to confirm it in 10 minutes

1. Reverse-search two photos with Google Lens and TinEye. See the reverse image search guide.
2. Search their full name and city. See whether the face matches any public profile.
3. Look up the phone number they texted from. See reverse phone lookup for dating.
4. Ask for a live video call or a specific photo. A real person can do one or the other today.

Want a structured version? Run the free dating profile red flag checklist or the romance scam red-flag checker.

If you are being catfished

• Stop sending money or photos immediately, even if they threaten or plead.
• Screenshot the profile, chats and any payment details before you block them.
• Report the profile to the dating app or social network so it gets removed.
• If you lost money, report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and IC3.gov, and call your bank. Our what to do if you were scammed guide walks through it.