Going out for the first time alone with someone you don’t yet know live, can turn out to be in some circumstances, a risky move. For this reason, the well-known dating app Tinder, last year introduced the possibility to press an emergency button that implements a real request for help. The new feature promises to get in touch with the authorities if the encounter ever takes a turn for the worse.

Avoiding being a victim of catfishing can be very difficult, due to the volume of people we interact with online every day. Therefore it can be difficult to verify the authenticity of each identity, however there are tips to prevent or reduce the chances of being catfished.

Catfishing is when someone uses images and information (often taken from other people’s social media accounts) to create a new, fake online identity using an individual’s entire identity as their own. Social media accounts created for this purpose can not only damage the reputation of the true owner of the identity but are created to establish dishonest relationships online. Although catfishing used to be most popular among adults using online dating platforms, it has now become a widespread problem without distinction.

It can be difficult to spot a catfisher. While the signs you might receive on a practical level may be different for each situation, let’s try to provide you with some helpful elements.