In a cartoon published in New York Magazine in October 1993, two dogs sat at computers where one looks at the other and says, “On the Internet, no one knows you’re a dog.”
If you haven’t heard the explosive news of university football all-star Manti Te’O and his fake dead girlfriend by now, then you’re behind on the times. To make a long story short, a top rated university could-be-an-NFLer football player was duped into thinking that his girlfriend (who he became famous for kicking ass in games in honor of that girlfriend after she died of leukemia in September) was a loving Stanford student for the two years of their relationship when, in reality, she didn’t exist at all. As it stands right now, it looks as though a male friend/fan of Te’O's may have been pretending to be his online girlfriend the entire time, creating an elaborate hoax that roped him into a fake relationship.
How can you protect yourself from getting duped into talking to someone who isn’t who they say they are? Our Sexperts have compiled the biggest red flags for people who are involved in online relationships:
1. Always, always Skype.
Experts say that if they’re not willing to Skypecomputer dating there’s likely something they’re trying to hide, especially if they’ve already sent you photos. “When someone sends you photos but is unwilling to video chat, it’s likely they’re not the people they’re claiming to be. Not having a web cam is not a valid reason: In 2013, everyone has access to the ability to video chat,” says our Sexpert.
2. Do a reverse picture lookup.
Did they send you photos of themselves? Can you see their profile pictures? Do a reverse photo lookup on Google to see if there are any other matches for those pictures. If you find the images under different names, it’s likely you’re being duped.
3. Research them a little.
So they’ve told you where they work, where they went to school, who their friends are… Look that up a little. On the MTV show Catfish, that’s usually the host Nev’s first clue as to having a liar on the line: Their jobs, friends and hobbies aren’t who they claim to be.
If you cover these bases, you’re likely to find definitive answers as to the validity of your online love.
