Has This Ever Happened to you?
A female friend contacted me about a man who was a mutual Facebook “friend” named Robert. She said that they had chatted online and every time she asked to get together he would disappear. She wasn’t sure what was going on. Since we are friends, she asked me what I knew about him. I looked at his profile and quickly knew it was a fake Facebook profile. I did the steps below which are outlined in this blog just tell you how I instantly knew it was a fake Facebook profile.
She was interested in Robert. He was very attractive; they had great online conversations about deep topics. She thought she finally found a man in which she felt an emotional connection. When I told her it was a fake profile – she was crushed and felt foolish. She wanted to figure out how and why this happened.
With most of us receiving many friend requests, chances are you have received (and maybe accepted) fake Facebook profile requests. And that’s what happened to her and I. With about 4000 Facebook and sometimes being in a rush, I approve friends without checking them out. And I know better. (Note- Robert and I had over 60 mutual friends, so many of my Facebook friends were also deceived.)
How Many Fake Facebook Profiles Are There?
Lots! Facebook assumes there are over 83 million fake Facebook profiles on Facebook. There are different fake profiles for various reasons. You may have even created a fake profile! Maybe you have one for your dog or your cat or some other pet. There are some cute and funny pet profiles. But Facebook estimates there are over 14 million fake profiles to deceive and exploit people like you..
These fake profiles exist to get your data to steal your identity, or to spam you with ads or to give you a virus that posts on your timeline. Maybe to trick you to give money to them or to play a romantic suitor, just screw in your head. These are the deceivers you want to beware of and delete from your life.
Five Free Fast Steps to discover if it’s a fake Facebook profile.
- Read the profile. Does it really say anything? Is there a lot of information? Or is it just a few scattered facts or maybe no facts? Or is it just a beautiful photo? These are signs that it could be a fake profile.
- What’s the History? How long have they been on Facebook? Often these fakes show up and disappear quickly. If you see they have just signed on to Facebook – you might have a fake Facebook profile.
- How many friends? Check to see how many friends they have. Do they have pictures of themselves with friends? Are their friends in your area or they all around the world? Usually, people have local friends. Not having any friends, pictures of themselves with their friends, or friends who were not in their area, are clues it could be a fake Facebook profile.
- Google their picture. Google has a super easy way to upload the photo and search to see if that photo is showing somewhere. Robert, the fake profile, had a photo of an English bodybuilder who was in a newspaper article about steroids. Not Robert who was living in Tempe Arizona. Click to learn how to google a photo. IF you find that photo showing up somewhere else with another name, chances are you have a fake Facebook profile. (You maybe want to do this with a photo of you, to see if anyone else has stolen it to use in some fake profile)
- Too Much, Too Soon. The Facebook Friend is flattering too fast. Online Chatting with you, they express a lot of admiration/excessive flattery quickly. They soon tell you how close they feel to you and you are so different than everybody else. The one they have been looking to find. Perhaps tell you tales of past romantic partners who hurt them, but you are different. When someone starts professing affection and love quickly online, you probably have a fake.
These are five easy steps that will help you avoid fake Facebook profiles. And if you do get a fake profile what do you do? First, report them to Facebook as a fake profile. Next, block them. You don’t need to waste time with Fakes.
Play it safe and be fearless online. Facebook is a Fabulous way to connect with friends, meet new friends, or find a romantic partner. Learn Joann’s tips on meeting on Facebook.
If you did fall for a fake profile, don’t beat yourself up. It happens to everybody, and that’s all we’ve learned how to catch bogus profiles. The friend who contacted me is – fabulous, beautiful, smart, and a total great catch. She wasn’t dumb. Just too trusting. Don’t let it happen to you.
Want to learn about how to avoid fake online dating profiles? Look for future dating advice that gives you proven ways to know if your Suitor is real or not.
Joann Cohen
Phoenix Matchmaker for Phoenix singles,
Scottsdale singles, and singles throughout the Phoenix area
