Catfishing: Social media tips in the age of AI

Catfishing — the act of fraudulently impersonating someone — is on the rise thanks to AI. And also thanks to AI, many of the old methods of spotting catfishers have taken on new forms. Here are some of the newer ways to spot catfishers in the modern world. 

Unnatural speech: While bad grammar used to be an easy way to spot a fraudster, it’s a bit more nuanced now. These days, most AI language models not only sound similar to each other, they also speak in a way that sounds more like an advertisement than natural speech. If something feels off, trust your gut. 

Inconsistent images and videos: Sure, AI generated images are harder to spot than they used to be. But a lot of the same tells are there. The focal point of the image might be photorealistic, but the background likely isn’t. Do the people in the background have the right number of hands and limbs? Look for misspelled brand names and reflective surfaces and check the lighting to see if it’s era appropriate — a photo from the 90s isn’t going to be in 4k HD. Besides just the visual, consider the context of the imagery. For example, if you see a video of dozens of animals all jumping on a trampoline or parading down the middle of a city street, ask yourself: Why would animals do that? 

Catfishers often create a persona to carry out their fraud, but AI can’t consistently recreate the same backgrounds, images, etc. Look for inconsistencies across multiple images/videos.  

Limited or new social media: Take caution if you get a message from a brand new social media profile or a profile that has only a couple of photos uploaded. Social media platforms are getting better and better at deleting fake accounts, which means that fraudsters are always creating brand new ones in the hopes of committing fraud before their account gets deleted. 

Unexpected group chats with strangers: Sometimes catfishers cast a wide net by adding dozens of real people to one thread then sending a fraudulent link in the chat. Their hope is that one of the many people they’ve added will click it. Remove yourself from the group and block the person that added you. 

Love bombing: Love bombing is when a person expresses excessive amounts of attraction, compliments and love almost immediately. Love bombing is a form of manipulation. Social media catfishers often employ love bombing in the first messages where they profess admiration and attraction to their target.  

Never able to meet up or video call: If someone you know has been talking to a stranger online but has never met them or seen them on a video call, they might be being catfished. Especially if the person they’re talking to claims to be a celebrity or person of power. 

Protect your finances and peace of mind by following these tips. If you do fall victim to fraud, don’t hesitate to contact us at (800) 365-1111. Our fraud team has your back.