Catfishing & impersonation
A concern about an online identity deserves a specific, proportionate response. Compare the claim with what is visible, keep uncertainty in the record and use a platform's reporting process when the facts support it.
Start with the concern you can describe: a reused photo, a changing story, a suspicious account or someone copying your own pictures.
Find public social profile clues with our TraceSeek app.
What is catfishing in online dating?
Catfishing in dating means a deliberately false online identity. Learn how it differs from privacy or an outdated photo, with non-diagnostic checks.
Read the guideCatfishing versus a romance scam: different questions
Separate identity misrepresentation from pressure for money, using a decision table for observations, limits and practical next steps.
Read the guideSomeone is using your photos on a dating profile
Found your photos on a stranger's dating profile? Save a minimal record, report impersonation through the app, and skip DIY detective work.
Read the guideHow to write a useful fake-profile report
A calm guide to noting a profile URL, date and observable details and drafting a private, neutral report, while treating observations as impressions rather than proof.
Read the guideA video call can help, but it is not identity proof
A calm guide to using a voluntary video call as one limited, self-designed clue, with public-profile context, clear stopping rules, and no deepfake or ID tricks.
Read the guideA dating match avoids video calls: how to respond
A calm approach for a match who keeps avoiding video calls: one practical refusal, repeated evasion, and when to stop politely.
Read the guideA match's story keeps changing
Use a short claim-versus-answer note, ask one clarification, and set a clear stop rule when an online match's story keeps shifting.
Read the guideA dating bio seems copied: checking context
A context-first guide to comparing an unusual public bio phrase with original result pages, without treating a match as proof of identity or intent.
Read the guideImpersonation or an old account: what can you actually observe?
Compare self-links, dated public pages and a direct explanation as public clues. Keep observations separate from conclusions, and know when a bounded review is enough.
Read the guideHow to help a friend who may be getting catfished
Support a friend who may be facing a catfish with a calm, non-shaming conversation and a small shared public-profile review, plus payment-safety steps if money was sent.
Read the guide