[dropcap]S[/dropcap]ocial media is an excellent way to meet new people and create virtual friendships. Sometimes this ends up with a physical meeting and then the relationship grows closer. It is a wonderful thing and some people can find their soul-mate there. For people with certain issues which would benefit from crowd-funding, social media brings more people into play. So, what is the problem here?
Fake People
We have all seen the postings from people who use a username different from their actual name. These names are not always representations of what the user believes in and do not typically lead to a real name. This is disappointing if you truly want to become friends with them. On the other hand, what if they are real and a fine match? How do you get through to them with conversation?
That part is easy and simple. All you do is engage them in a chat. From there, you might find that you and the other user have compatibility for friendship. At this point, they may reveal their real name. Once again, how do you know that it is, indeed their real name? It may not be. There are an overwhelming number of people out there on dating websites and elsewhere who pose to be something and someone they are not. In fact, this practice is so pervasive that it has its own name – catfishing.
What does getting catfished mean? It means that you have been taken in by someone who is not what or whom they say they are. An obvious example of catfishing is fake profiles on dating sites. But it can also be snakes out to scam you for money, hackers looking for personal information or simply people with psychological disorders who find relief in role playing – such as men with sexuality issues posing as women.
Real People
While the social media fake people are involved with creating the illusion, real people have to learn how to spot them. First of all, if anything seems fishy just by instinct; that could be a red flag alone. Honestly you are looking for erratic posts and low friend counts with few pictures and great boasts such as being models or high level professionals. A quantification of money and power may be the definitive of male posts as well as female.
As mentioned earlier, gender confusion in social media is common and so are power plays. It is the forbidden yet alluring arena for the deviation some people are attracted to. Real and honest people should find all the suggestive information from professional sources to better understand how to spot fakes.
Often, by searching through the same username on other sites, you might see more about what that user is doing on the internet. You may be able to come up with a great deal of information leading up to their full identity. Though this process may take some time and creativity, it is completely worth it for the result. After some time, you will become a pro at this much needed task.
