What’s A Catfish And Why Are They The Subject Of A New TV Show?

Contributed by: ElyseRomano on Sunday, December 23 2012 @ 09:51 am

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A "catfish" is a person who creates fake online dating profiles using someone else's photos and information. The catfish may also use social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, often with the intention of making someone fall in love with them.

These elusive online tricksters were the subject of a 2010 documentary by Nev Schulman. In the film, Schulman hits the road to meet his online love for the very first time, only to discover that she's a far cry from the woman he thought he'd been getting to know. I won't spoil the film for you, but trust me: the reveal is a doozy.

Now Schulman is taking the subject a step further, with a new MTV series called "Catfish: The TV Show." Along with partner Max Joseph, Schulman is bringing online couples together to meet, face-to-face, for the very first time. As you can probably guess, the meetings don't often go as planned.

It may not have been the outcome Schulman expected, but his unique (to say the least) personal experiences have given him an inside look at online liars. This is his advice for online daters:

  1. Steer clear of models. Catfish love claiming they're models, because others love claiming they've met models.
  2. If you think it's too good to be true, it probably is. Intentional or not, Schulman warns, almost everyone is lying online in one way or another. Online profiles are a carefully-chosen representation of a person, not necessarily an accurate one. Always proceed with caution.
  3. Get proof of identity. Ask for a photo that includes something specific, or a picture of a driver's license, or a snap of your name written on their hand. Were they able to comply with your request? Does that picture match the others you've seen?
  4. Skype! Nothing gets to the truth faster than a real-time, video conversation.
  5. Do a little Facebook stalking. Note: I said a little. Don't go crazy, but do take a peek at their profile. If your potential date has no photos and only a few friends, they might not be who they say they are.
  6. Don't fall for the fairy tale. The ideas of soulmates and love at first sight are lovely, but they're rarely reality. Stay true to yourself, be clear on what you want, and don't get too wrapped up in the fantasy.
  7. Learn how to identify fake profiles. You can find a few tips here[*1] .

Catfish: The TV Show airs on Mondays on MTV.

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[*1] http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/tips-identifying-fake-facebook-profiles/story?id=14379498#.UMhcoIM8CSo