The short answer: you can usually tell if someone is a catfish (using a fake identity online) with a few simple checks: run a reverse image search on their photos, ask for a short video call, look for consistent details and a normal online footprint, and notice whether they avoid meeting in public or ask for money. Real people pass these checks easily; catfish tend to dodge them. Below are 12 checks, a before, during and after checklist, scripts for asking for a video call without sounding suspicious, and what to do if you think you’ve been catfished.
Catfishing happens on dating apps, friend-finding apps, gaming platforms, social media and community groups. Some catfish are lonely or insecure; others are running romance or friendship scams. Either way, the checks are the same, and they apply whether you’re hoping for a date or a new friend.
Why people catfish
Understanding the motive helps you spot the pattern. People create fake or heavily “improved” profiles for a few broad reasons:
- Money. Organised romance and friendship scams build trust over weeks, then invent an emergency. This is the most damaging kind.
- Insecurity. Some people use someone else’s photos because they don’t feel confident in their own. They may be lonely rather than malicious, but it’s still deception.
- Control or revenge. Occasionally, someone who knows you creates a fake account to monitor or upset you.
- Exploitation. Some fake profiles aim to collect intimate images for blackmail.
Whatever the reason, the same checks protect you, and none of them require you to be suspicious of everyone. Most people you meet online are exactly who they say they are; the checks just make sure.
12 checks to know if someone is a catfish
1. Reverse image search their photos
Save one or two of their profile pictures and search them with Google Lens or TinEye. If the same photos appear under a different name, on a model’s or influencer’s account, or on stock photo sites, that’s a strong sign the profile isn’t genuine. No results doesn’t prove someone is real, but matches under someone else’s name are a clear warning.
2. Ask for a short video call
A five-minute video call is the single best check. It confirms they look like their photos and are who they say they are. Genuine people may be a little shy, but they’ll usually agree. Repeated excuses (broken camera, bad signal, “I’m not photogenic”) are a red flag, especially combined with others.
3. Check their photos for consistency
Do the pictures look like the same person in different places and times? Are they all professional-looking, heavily filtered, or oddly few? Catfish profiles often have only a handful of polished photos and nothing casual.
4. Look for a normal online footprint
Most people leave some trace: a social media account with friends and history, a mention in a club or workplace page, mutual friends. Not everyone is online, and a small footprint isn’t proof of anything, but a brand-new account with no friends or history, plus reluctance to share anything else, is worth noticing.
5. Notice if their story keeps changing
Job, age, where they live, family details: real people’s stories hang together. If details shift, or they forget things they’ve told you, ask about it gently.
6. Watch for “too good to be true”
An extremely attractive, successful, attentive person who seems to have no flaws and is instantly devoted can be exactly who they say. But it’s also a common catfish profile. Intense flattery before you’ve met is worth slowing down for.
7. They always have a reason not to meet
Working abroad, on an oil rig, in the military, caring for a sick relative, “next month for sure”. A pattern of postponing every meeting, especially a short public one, is a classic sign.
8. They push to move off the app quickly
Wanting to switch to WhatsApp or another messenger straight away can be innocent, but it also moves you away from the platform’s reporting tools. It’s sensible to stay on the app until you’ve met or at least video-called.
9. They ask for money, gifts or help
This is the biggest red flag of all. Requests for money, gift cards, crypto, help with a “customs fee” or a medical bill from someone you haven’t met are a hallmark of romance fraud. Never send money to someone you’ve only met online, however convincing the story.
10. They ask for intimate photos or personal details early
Pressure for intimate images, your address, your workplace or financial details before you’ve met is a serious warning sign. Images can be used to blackmail people, and personal details can be misused.
11. Their voice, language or time zone doesn’t fit
If someone says they’re from Leeds but their messages arrive at 3am UK time, or their language doesn’t match the background they describe, ask about it. There may be a simple explanation; there may not.
12. Your gut says something’s off
If you feel uneasy but can’t say why, that feeling counts. You don’t need proof to slow down, ask for a video call or stop talking.
Catfish warning signs at a glance
| Sign | Why it matters | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Photos appear elsewhere under another name | Strong sign of a stolen identity | Stop contact and report the profile |
| Won’t video call | Avoids confirming identity | Make a short call a condition of meeting |
| Never available to meet in person | Keeps the relationship online only | Suggest a short public meetup; step back if they keep dodging |
| Asks for money or gifts | Hallmark of romance fraud | Never send money; report and block |
| Pushes for intimate images | Risk of blackmail | Don’t send; report; block |
| Story keeps changing | Possible fake identity | Ask directly; step back if it doesn’t add up |
How to ask for a video call (without sounding suspicious)
Asking for a video call is completely normal, and framing it as a nice next step rather than a test makes it easy:
- “I’ve really enjoyed chatting. Fancy a quick video call this week before we meet? I like to put a voice to the messages.”
- “Before we meet up, shall we do a five-minute video call? It makes first meetings much less nerve-racking for me.”
- “I always do a quick video chat before meeting someone from an app. Are you free on Thursday evening?”
- For a new friend: “Shall we do a quick video call before the coffee? Makes it less awkward when we meet.”
- If they keep dodging: “No worries, but I do need a quick video call before I meet anyone. Let me know if that changes.”
Keep the call short, light and friendly. You’re not interrogating them, just checking they’re real and that you get on.
Before, during and after: a catfish-proof checklist
Before you meet
- Reverse image search a couple of photos.
- Have a short video call.
- Check their story is consistent and look for a normal online footprint.
- Keep chats on the app and screenshot anything important.
- Never send money, gift cards or intimate images.
- Arrange to meet in a busy public place, and tell a friend.
At the first meetup
- Meet somewhere busy, with staff around.
- Have your own way there and back.
- If they don’t look like their photos, it’s fine to say “Sorry, I don’t think this is going to work” and leave.
- If you feel unsafe, go to staff. In participating UK venues you can ask for Angela.
Afterwards
- If something felt off, trust it. You don’t owe a second meetup.
- Report fake profiles to the app or platform, even if you’re not sure.
For the full safety checklist, see our first date safety tips and our pillar guide to meeting someone from the internet safely.
What to do if you think you’ve been catfished
- Stop sending anything: no money, no photos, no personal details.
- Keep evidence: screenshots of the profile, messages, any payment requests, usernames and dates.
- Report the profile to the app, website or platform.
- Block them once you’ve saved what you need.
- If you’ve lost money, contact your bank straight away, then report it. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, fraud is reported to Report Fraud, the service that replaced Action Fraud; in Scotland, contact Police Scotland on 101. In Ireland, contact An Garda Síochána. In Australia, report scams to Scamwatch, and contact the police too.
- If someone threatens to share intimate images, don’t pay. Keep evidence and contact the police. In Australia, the eSafety Commissioner accepts reports of image-based abuse.
- Talk to someone you trust. Being catfished is not your fault, and catfish are often skilled manipulators.
Catfishing in friend apps and groups
On this site we cover new friends and groups as much as dates, and catfishing isn’t only a dating problem. Fake “friends” in hobby groups or friend-finding apps sometimes build trust over weeks before asking for money, pitching an investment, or trying to recruit people into schemes. The same checks work: a video call, a public first meetup, a consistent story, and a firm no to any money request. Our list of red flags on a first date includes a section on friend and group meetups.
How MeetNow approaches first meetups
MeetNow is our own app (see our disclosure). It doesn’t verify anyone’s identity, so the checks above still matter. What it does is keep the focus on meeting in person, at real public places:
- Plans happen at public places, such as dinner, drinks, a game or a concert, with a set date, time and number of seats.
- The host chooses who joins from people who ask with a short note. Hosts can limit who can join (for example by gender or age range), and users can block other users.
- Both sides confirm “we met” afterwards, building each person’s visible track record of actually turning up.
Want to turn this into an actual plan? MeetNow is a free app for meeting people in person: a host posts a plan at a public place, says who pays (host pays, split, pay your own or free) and picks who joins. It is live on the web and works in your browser, starting in Malta; the phone apps are not in the App Store or Google Play yet. Open MeetNow and see the plans posted in Malta.
Reporting routes last checked October 2026.
FAQ
How do you know if someone is a catfish?
Reverse image search their photos, ask for a short video call, check their story is consistent, and look for a normal online footprint. People who refuse to video call, never meet in person or ask for money are the most common warning signs.
Can a reverse image search catch a catfish?
Often, yes. Google Lens and TinEye can show where a photo appears online. If their pictures turn up under another name or on a model’s account, the profile is very likely fake. No matches doesn’t prove someone is genuine, though.
Should I video call someone before meeting in person?
Yes. A short video call is the easiest way to confirm someone matches their photos. Most genuine people are happy to do one, and repeated refusals are a good reason not to meet.
What should I do if a catfish asks me for money?
Don’t send it, whatever the story. Stop contact, keep evidence, report the profile and block them. If you’ve already sent money, contact your bank and report the fraud to the relevant service or the police.
Is catfishing illegal?
Pretending to be someone else online isn’t always a crime on its own, but catfishing is often linked to things that are, such as fraud, harassment or threats to share intimate images. If money, threats or images are involved, report it to the police.
What if they don’t look like their photos when we meet?
You can leave. A polite “Sorry, I don’t think this is going to work” is enough. If you feel unsafe, go to staff or call someone, and report the profile afterwards.
Does any app verify that people are real?
Some platforms offer optional checks, but no app can guarantee who someone is. Do your own checks, such as a video call and a public first meetup, whatever app or group you met on.
