Inform and protect your friends and relatives from "catfishing"

[The Meat Rod Cometh]

And no, I'm not talking about going out to the pond and grabbing physical catfish here.

"Catfish" if you did not know is a modern term referring to individuals posing as someone or something they are not online to take something from another of value and/or being honest about who they are but leading another along at long distance for some form of personal emotional or financial gain.
This is all done at the expense of the emotional and/or financial distress of the intended or circumstantial victim.

In most cases the catfisher never physically shows up to meet the victim but strictly maintains the interactions at long distance. However there are exceptions. Sometimes a catfisher will physically show up on a few occasions mainly to establish a more convincing persona to the intended victim to make it easier to continue leading them on or have someone else show up posing as them for the same purpose.
But the latter form is the exception rather than the norm.

So this topic I feel is very important as I have had personal experience of losing a few from from catfishers.
I am sure many of you know someone or have heard about someone who has been catfished as well.

This is a very serious issue because the main victims of this are often people with severe social difficulties and anxieties and/or people with mental disabilities or difficulties. Although it can potentially happen to anyone.

Often people on the autism spectrum are the ones targeted as was the case with my 2 friends who this happened to and which ended up consuming their daily lives.

This is especially serious because the consequences of a person eventually realizing that they were duped for so long can lead to disastrous feelings of guilt, shame, hurt etc. all simply compounding the isolation they already feel. So it really is not a joking matter at all.

So we as their friends can talk to them and make sure they always remain in a state of mind that there is always a potential that they are being catfished and decieved or at the very least abused and used emotionally by another. Just one simple talk like this can make all the difference. But make certain not to indicate they are stupid or foolish as that will simply encourage them to be victimized.

Just get a confirmation from them that they know what they are doing and that they will remain prepared that deceit is a possibilty in such situations. That will guarantee they have someone to talk to when and if they realize they were being used and will minimize any feelings of shame they may feel from later shock or disbelief.

Because the thing is people who feel desperate want to believe there is someone who is actually listening to them and cares even if that person may not be genuine or real on the other end. Suspension of disbelief is high with this type of desperate but wishful thinking and expert catfishers target such people for this very reason.

This simple type of conversation can actually help save people's lives in certain cases.

Please post your thoughts and experiences on the subject relating to your friends, relative our yourself.

 

[950483]

I tried. It didn't work out brilliantly. Part of the reason why certain individuals are susceptible to catfishing is that they just love being told what they want to hear, and won't listen to anything they don't want to hear.

 

[The Meat Rod Cometh]

I tried. It didn't work out brilliantly. Part of the reason why certain individuals are susceptible to catfishing is that they just love being told what they want to hear, and won't listen to anything they don't want to hear.

That's true. That can be a big part of it.
However in the cases that I have seen the background of said victims were cases where they were bullied in school and/or online so all they knew aside from the cat-fishers was social rejection.
Thus the wishful thinking/hope against hope mentality.

 

[950483]

That's true. That can be a big part of it.
However in the cases that I have seen the background of said victims were cases where they were bullied in school and/or online so all they knew aside from the cat-fishers was social rejection.
Thus the wishful thinking/hope against hope mentality.

There could be some self esteem issues and feelings of rejection underlying it all. Not necessarily though. Some people are just excellent manipulators and con artists, unless you have encountered one of these types before your brain just won't compute and you won't have a clue what they are up to.

 

[The Meat Rod Cometh]

There could be some self esteem issues and feelings of rejection underlying it all. Not necessarily though. Some people are just excellent manipulators and con artists, unless you have encountered one of these types before your brain just won't compute and you won't have a clue what they are up to.

Yeah, the philosophy I follow is if it sounds too good to be true it always is.
Gotta test people. That sifts out the fakes and flakes.

 

[keenobserver]

Yeah, the philosophy I follow is if it sounds too good to be true it always is.
Gotta test people. That sifts out the fakes and flakes.

Amen, Amen, Amen.

 

[The Meat Rod Cometh]

Amen, Amen, Amen.

Hare Krishna

 

[sizehungry]

Have had a few people try to " Catfish " me over the years . Problem for them is , that they immediately violate rule # 1 . Never , ever , try to catfish a Shark , especially one with loads of life experience . It will eat you , bones 'n ' all , every time .

 

[The Meat Rod Cometh]

Have had a few people try to " Catfish " me over the years . Problem for them is , that they immediately violate rule # 1 . Never , ever , try to catfish a Shark , especially one with loads of life experience . It will eat you , bones 'n ' all , every time .

Classic.