@CoquiCoin
Are you really you
***How are you, my dear friends of Read.cash? Another week that ends, and I hope that the next one brings you many joys.*** Yesterday, we were talking at home about the profiles that people use on the internet. And specifically, we talked about Catfishing. This term began to be used after the documentary Catfish has released in 2010, directed by Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman. The documentary tells of an episode in the life of Nev Schulman, a photographer who lived with his brother Ariel and his friend Henry, who document a relationship that Nev starts with a girl through Facebook and that ended up not being what it seemed. The documentary later led to a television series produced by MTV. Catfish The TV Show that is still on the air. Catfishing is when a person uses a fake profile on the internet. And although this can't be considered an illegal practice. The truth is that most people that use fake identities on the Internet use to do it to deceive other people. Many times what catfishers are looking for is some monetary gain. Sometimes these people end up bribing the person with whom they establish a relationship. Catfish is very common on online dating sites. Also, there are lots of cases where Catfishers steal someone else's identity and assume it as their own, and identity theft in itself is clearly a crime. It has happened even with famous people. And despite being a practice that occurs especially on online dating sites. Fake profiles also abound in any other social network. Some of these "fake" profiles don't even attempt to fool someone, only that the person seeks to remain anonymous.
Many network users don't use their personal photos. I have done it many times. But on those occasions, I have always used an avatar created or the image of something I like. I used the image of a flower for a long time in Noise and here in Read.cash. On Twitter, for example, I have never used my personal image. And my main reason is a bit of paranoia about the personal security issue. I live in a country where the issue of personal security is always on the table. In many cases, criminal gangs use the information shared in networks to select and hunt down their victims. So I think not sharing personal photos it's a way to keep a low profile. Mainly in massive social networks, such as Twitter, if your account is open to everyone.
But some don't use a generic picture but someone else's. Those who do this often use a photo of someone attractive to attract attention. They can even make up a fake bio. Lie about their genre, age, and some personal details. The truth is that the whole conversation made me think. I'm a very introverted person. And I tend to be quite reserved in both my personal life and on social media. But here, I've been quite open with many aspects of my personal life. Even with many things, I don't usually talk about, even with my friends. And I realized that in some way, for the first time, I've exposed myself. In any case, these are just a few random thoughts on this topic. And you? Have you ever been the victim of a Catfish? Have you ever made up a fake profile on the internet? What are your thoughts on internet fake profiles? To all of you, my dear readers, thank you so much! Thank you to all my wonderful sponsors! I encourage you to visit their amazing articles if you haven't done so. **Images credits on the caption. All writings are my own unless anything different is stated. Copyright CoquiCoin 2021.** Until next time! ;) August 22, 2021
107 comments
It is common everywhere because people just want to scam and deceive People with their selfish interest. I just hope they understand that it is hurting People.
For selfishness or monetary interest, they end up hurting people who fall for these deceptions. Thanks for stopping by, princess!
Yes, I had been a victim of catfish a long time ago. Someone grabbed some of my photos and uploaded them as hers. She/he would try to indulge with indecent proposals to some random guys in exchange for a prepaid load.
That's so bad. You suffered identity theft. I hope you were able to solve it without much trouble. I also wanted to thank you for renewing my sponsorship. ♡
Aw, yeah, not a catfish but identity theft. My bad. And you're always welcome.
We really have to be careful so we shouldn't fall for these catfish accounts. At the same time keep out personal information safe from the internet so it wouldn't be used to track us. Some people pose as celebrities just to scam people of their hard earned money. Apart from the fraud, I've seen people who simply create catfish account for fun, this is very popular on Twitter, creating accounts just to mock the original person being imitated.
As you said, we have to be very careful with the information we share. Thanks for stopping by!
You're welcome dear.
100 fact! I was a victim of a scammer here in our country not through online platform though but through investment scheme. All my savings are gone because of it. Up until now, I was not able to get back my money. I learned from my mistakes that there is no easy money. We need to work hard on it. Thank you for this!
Yes, there is no easy money. And if it seems, for sure, it's a scam.
Scammers everywhere. Watch your back else you fall in their traps.
Yes, we have to be very careful with this issue.
Well I am always me, although noise is the first time I have never used a picture of me in any online profile. Catfishing is everywhere, although it does not seem to be as common as it used to be, either that or I am not mixing with people who talk about it!
I think it's more likely that you don't mix with people who talk about it, and neither do I. But my son often comes with stories about it. And you are you, Ed! And Broxi is as if it is you! ;)
hehe we are all unique Eliana :)
Yes, we are! ;)
I really enjoyed this article. Learnt a new term today called Catfishing
I'm glad you liked it and learned something new!
I have used my real photo in my other online profiles. And I relate somehow with you when you said that here at read, you became more exposed. I feel the same way but it is a good adjustment I think :)
I agree with you. It's a good adjustment, and I'm comfortable with it so far.
Same here :) Positive changes within!
It happened on facebook when someone was constantly downloading my pictures and uploading it as is. Someone called my attention to it and i was shocked to see it. I felt someone close to me was behind the account. We reported the account and it was blocked. But since then i stopped using FB frequently and also stopped uploading my pictures everytime Funny thing is i was once using the image of the Eiffel tower as my avatar. I didn't know it was passing the wrong message. Someone felt i was from paris...
I stopped using FB a long time ago. And how bad that your photos were stolen there. I remember a time when many FB accounts were hacked. Well, maybe your avatar of the Eiffel tower was the reason you received proposals in Noise. French girls have a reputation for being pretty and sexy, LOL
This article reminds me of viral video where a woman thought bill gates was texting her with his finsta account... It was so sad yet so funny because she felt that the people giving advices against sending the catfish her card details were jealous of her... Beautiful article
Thank you! And thanks for sharing that Catfishing story.
It's as you say we expose ourselves by posting personal photos. But I think this platform is a little more closed with personal information. In other networks the photos and addresses of users are more available to the public.
Of course, I agree with you. The scope of what we post here is less than in massive networks like Twitter or Facebook.
Yes I try to use a picture that isn't mine and I made a fake acc on facebook but I didn't fool someone, ilike want to post funny, the ones I can't post in my original acc hahaha. But I was fooled by the poser I loved him for 5months , until now I still don't know who used that acc lol.
I'm sorry you've been being fooled for 5 months and that it took that long to realize it.
I have always uploaded my real identity on any social platform and I am being myself. Is only on readcash I haven't put my picture with noisecash too. Thanks for sharing this, I learnt what catfishing mean now.
Oh, it's okay. I'm not against using a photo that is not ours on the internet. As long as we don't use it to deceive someone. For me, it's fine to remain anonymous. It's our choice.
I've been on the internet since before it existed, and i don't think that, at least on the surface net, i'll be able to "hide" my true idenity. So i use my own pictures and talk about my life. But there are times when i venture out onto the deepwebor even the darkweb and when i do i do so completely anonymously. Tor over VPN and/or i2p and a no cookie/script browser config. Anybody able to find me and or identify me has by that time spent so many resources on doing so that they deserver to find or ID me. LOL!
Really if someone finds you with all those measures, they deserve to find you. LOL
You're right that there are some people who used this to deceive others. Many wants to gain more attention and ask money to those people who fall from their trap. My cousins and my friend are victim of this fake identity. We saw in the social media that there are fake acc who uses their photos so we reported the acc immediately.
Too bad what happened to your cousin and his friend, but thank goodness they soon realized the identity theft and reported it.
Good thing there's nothing serious happened to them since they able to know that fak acc before it deceive other people using their photos
They were lucky to realize it before someone was really deceived or hurt.
I experienced this when my old Facebook account was being hacked. Someone posted items on my account. Even some nasty pictures that wasn't mine.
I remember a time when FB accounts were often hacked. Too bad that happened to you.
I used to use my real photo in all my soc media accounts and the same with you, in this platform, I am more open to my personal life and am more open to sharing my thoughts. 💗
I really am not fond of posting or using my own pictures. If ever I posted some, I will cover my face or blurr it. I have a dummy account or another account where I post different stuff, sometimes anime or stories, but I don't do catfishing. I feel bad to the other person tho lol
Haven't a victim of Catfishing and hopefully I will not. I only shares my personal pictures on FB and Ig. On twitter, I mostly used a pic of the Kpop Idol I like, since as what you've mentioned Twitter is really a big platform. Here on Readcash, I also share most of my personal life.
This topic grabbed my attention, my cousin actually fell for this trap. She was communicating with someone online who went as far as proposing to her, then all of a sudden he started demanding for money.....if it's not his health its something else all because he used a handsome cover page that she fell in love with. To cut it short she requested to see him physically and that was when she got blocked. There are a lot of things going on the internet that baffles me.
Catfish: I used to watch that show, I didn't know it was still on the air. There are things that are pretty obvious that such a person can be a fake profile but when someone falls in love they are blind to see I partly understand that you don't use a profile picture, for the security of information. Thank you for share interesting information.
As an introvert and a "closed" type of person, I am not very active in my personal social media accounts. Some of my classmates might have broadcasted that they have already graduated while here am I with my family who are the only ones who know that I graduated. I can say that it's liberating for me to express myself here and in noise under a different profile picture and name too. Thankfully we haven't experienced dealing with fake users.
Fortunately I haven't experienced it yet. But all I can say is why do other people even think of make a fake identity. We know we can't stop this catfishing issue but I hope they think that what they are doing is wrong and they are only adding to the world's problems.
This is the first time I have heard of the term. Now I know that it's called catfish. I wes never a victim for now coz I'm very careful with the people I add on my social media accounts. I prefer to use my photo for my profile so people I reconnect with will still recognize me. I hope there will be a law that will penalize catfishing in the future. For me, it's a cyber crime and should not be tolerated.
I experience catfish twice. When I was in highschool my first account in Facebook then the other one when I was in college which makes me nervous, there using my image at the profile picture ma'am. God bless you.🙏
the closest that I have personally known of is my colleague who believed his boyfriend was cheating on her so she made a dummy social media account, used some sexy woman's profile picture and tried communicating to his boyfriend. I try to use my personal picture though...
Never experienced and did this i always use fake profile in Facebook to hide who I'm i don't want to see someone laughing on my real profile coz I'm ugly or whatever that's why i use fake ones but not on noise and read coz they are decent and educated peoples exist.
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