Remember: Verify before you Invest

[Inigo Montoya]

Hey, Kiddos,

This is just a timely reminder that, before you emotionally invest in one of the internet peoples, you should make sure they're a real person and who they claim to be.

Over the years here, there has been some fairly epic catfishing here. Try to spare yourself the emotional trauma and insist on skype meetings, pics with a paper with the word YOU asked them to write on it, etc. Other people are far better at that than me... lemons?

We are all adults, but sometimes in the throes of an early friendship/relationship we let go of our common sense a little.* So, don't be afraid** to ask for things that let you know the person you're talking to is really all the things they claim to be.


This reminder is simply due to the fact that I have been thinking about it. So, don't get in a wad thinking I know something. lol I'm gonna try to remember to push this to the top occasionally.***

*I, personally, have not always followed the internet people safety rules. I've been VERY lucky.

**This can especially be a problem for someone who is new to the PD world. There can be an excitement and rush that is a common sense killer.

***I think this should be much less of a problem now that we have the minimum post/private message requirement but that wouldn't have stopped some of the catfish that I've known.

[Deleted]

Great advice!

Much less of an issue for us wheelers, I would think. Women usually fake stuff with us later into a relationship. Well, that's what I've heard.

[RollAlongSlowly]

Damn.....Was hoping to find Stock tips thatd make me millions.....

[greeneyedvillan]

always ask for a resume wit nudes attached

[RollAlongSlowly]

Google Image search can be quite handy....

Someone i got chatting to on another site sent me 'her picture' but something didnt add up

So I Googled the image 'she' sent. Turns out 'Tracey from Wales' was in fact a Russian model who appeared on numerous websites of dubious nature!

[Inigo Montoya]

^^^And that's why this is in General instead of Devs Only.

:-)

[Deleted]

Dec 8, 2014 13:53:41 GMT -5 Mr.BB said:

Dec 8, 2014 10:40:51 GMT -5 @mrniceguy said:

Great advice!

Much less of an issue for us wheelers

Maybe, maybe not. I once started to talk to a lady that turned out was married and not "living with a roommate".

So all the same rules apply to us wheelers just like the ladies here.

If things don't add up...

Thanks for the thread Inigo Montoya

Very true. I guess I've dealt with my fair share of scammers, just never from here. I was thinking more along the lines of fakers and didn't realize there were so many dev fakers.

[ProudRealist]

Well now i just feel darn right vulnerable!

[Emma]

Yes that's a great friendly reminder Inigo! There are fakes everywhere in all incarnations so be careful. Pictures, skype, googling them are all necessary before getting emotionally invested. Oh and if you are getting involved with someone its good to ask around here (probably via PM) to see if anyone had advice or knowledge about your new interest.

[RollAlongSlowly]

You're def real Inky.....

.....noone on Earth could fake THAT amount of crazy

[Inigo Montoya]

I've never understood either. But I've literally seen some epic effort at fakery.

[darthoso]

Dec 9, 2014 9:01:57 GMT -5 Inigo Montoya said:

I've never understood either. But I've literally seen some epic effort at fakery.

Because they can, that's really the only explanation.

[nordic]

I'd like to take the opportunity to reveal a faker who after hiding among us for a very long time finally exposed himself. MarineAmp wrote in another thread that he was going to his money vault for a swim while it is scientifically proven impossible to do so (source: Family Guy). I'm so sorry for you, Emma, but this irrefutable proof leaves us with the only logical conclusion: You are married to a bot. ;-)

On a more serious note, I understand how having been fooled before makes people extra cautious. And even if no money is involved as in many infamous internet scams, the emotional damage is at the very least equally devastating. Unfortunately this is a major downside of the anonymity we cherish online and especially in places like this. Painting an idealized or plain fictional picture of ourselves seems to be in human nature. What people intentionally deceiving others get out of it? If not money, most probably a sense of control which many seem to get off on. For others it might also be finally living life as their own idealized self. Whatever their motives may be, given the emotional nature of many contacts on PD, it is a lot easier for deceivers to lure their victim with false hopes and promises.

Still, the challenge is to find a balance between remaining vigilant and keeping an open mind towards new people. After all, every single one of us - be it intentionally or not - only reveals a fragment of who they really are on this board as well as in chats or Skype. Distance tempts us to believe we know someone before we actually do. I am aware that it's a lot easier said than done but to really "invest" you must have a somewhat complete picture. Would you use all your money to buy shares of a company which you were only handed a self-printed leaflet of? Do, by all means, verify before you invest.

But if you manage your own expectations by keeping a realistic outlook on the difference between some emotional chat conversations and a lifetime together, I believe there is nothing wrong with giving everyone a chance to be who they claim they are. So in my opinion, calling someone out for being fake publicly should be based on a little more than a gut feeling.

[Deleted]

I'm so dedicated to faking that I cut off my arms and legs just so I could keep getting away with it.

[happyface2013]

Dec 9, 2014 9:01:57 GMT -5 Inigo Montoya said:

I've never understood either. But I've literally seen some epic effort at fakery.

Inigo - I think you'll just have to visit me to vouch for my authenticity