by Lisa Love Powers
I’m your friendly love guru, armed with glittery wisdom and far too much coffee. Today we tackle a slippery beast hiding in the digital closet - the catfish.
So, what is a catfish?
You meet “Mike” online, a dreamy marine biologist. He looks like a Calvin Klein model, writes poetry on Tuesdays, and somehow always has perfect Wi‑Fi on his yacht. Sounds epic, yes? Maybe too epic. That’s the hint.
A catfish is a person who pretends to be someone else online. New name. New photos. New life. They hook hearts, reel in trust, and vanish or ask for money. Poof, like smoke from a dodgy braai!
I’ve seen it all. One guy looked uncannily like Brad Pitt. Just like, Brad Pitt in Fight Club, not “just dropped the kids at school” Brad Pitt. The other? He claimed to be a plastic surgeon who only operated on celebrities and “doesn’t use Zoom because of privacy laws.” How Convenient!?! Both of them disappeared faster than leftover cake at a family braai the moment I asked for a live video call. Poof! Gone, like vanishing into thin air!
Sniffing Out the Fishy Vibes of Catfish
Their life story keeps changing like a soap opera.
One day they’re a firefighter in Joburg. Next week? A tech entrepreneur from Cape Town. Suddenly their gran’s birthday is on a third different date — again. If the details of their life constantly shift or don’t quite line up, that’s a big red flag. Real people have consistent stories. Catfish tend to get tangled up in their own lies. Think of it like a plate of spaghetti: if everything’s twisted and slippery, don’t take a bite.
They always have an excuse to avoid video calls.
They’ll say their webcam’s broken. Or they’re “too shy.” Or they’re mysteriously always at work during your call time. If someone refuses to appear on video, especially after days or weeks of chatting — it’s a major warning sign. Most genuine people are happy to wave and say hi on camera. If they keep ducking it, they might not be who they say they are… or they might not even be the same gender or age!
They fall in love at the speed of light.
“We just met, but I think you’re my soulmate.”
“You’re the only one who understands me.”
“I would marry you tomorrow if I could.”
Flattering? Sure. But, also suspicious. Catfish often try to build intense emotional connections very quickly. Why? Because strong feelings cloud judgment — and make it easier to manipulate someone. Take things slow. Real connections grow over time, not overnight like a dodgy microwave curry.
They ask for money — before you’ve even met.
This is the biggest red flag of all. They say they lost their wallet. Or their phone was stolen. Or they need a quick loan to fly and “finally meet you.” They might ask for airtime, gift cards, crypto, or even help paying rent. No matter how charming or convincing they are — never send money to someone you haven’t met in real life. A real partner will want your heart, not your wallet.
The Reverse‑Image Search – Your Secret Sonar
Grab that profile pic that makes your heart skip a beat. We’re off to hunt.
Imagine you’re deep in the dating ocean, chatting with someone who seems lovely. But something feels off. That’s when you whip out your reverse image search — your silent, invisible sonar pinging through the digital deep, looking for truth and honesty.
Reverse image searches scan the web to see where else that profile picture has appeared. And trust me — when a suspicious photo shows up on stock photo websites, model catalogues, or the LinkedIn page of someone definitely not your match… the secret sonar of reverse image searching is flashing a big red warning light.
How to Reverse-Image-Search:
On a computer (easy‑peasy):
- Open the image. Right‑click. Select Copy image address or download the file.
- Go to Google Images. https://images.google.com
- Click the camera icon. Paste the URL or upload the file.
- Scan results. See the same face on stock‑photo sites? On a 2014 wedding blog from Ohio? Busted.
Feeling fancy? TinEye.com works the same way. It’s the Sherlock Holmes of pictures.
On your phone (thumb‑friendly):
- Screenshot or save the photo.
- In Chrome, hold the image. Tap Search image with Google Lens.
- Swipe up to view matches. Observe. If Mr. Perfect shows up as “Model #8723” on a catalogue — well, hello there, you’ve encountered a catfish.
But guru, what if the image is brand‑new?
A smart catfish sometimes uses fresh pictures not yet indexed. Here’s my trick:
Ask for a real‑time selfie. Hold up three fingers, today’s newspaper, and a spoon. Weird request? Perhaps. Genuine people laugh and comply. Catfishes wiggle away.
Do a quick video call. Even sixty seconds. Live eye balls tell truths that static photos hide.
In Conclusion
Online dating should feel like dancing in comfy socks — fun, safe, slightly goofy. When something feels off, don’t ignore the itch. Run the reverse‑image search. Ask bold questions and a video call may just get rid of that ‘off feeling’.
Remember: Your heart is premium merchandise. Guard it like a dragon guards a chest of gold — except nicer, with more emojis and fun vibes.
7 Great Reverse Image Search Tools for People & Photos
1. Google Images
https://images.google.com
Upload a photo or paste a URL. Works well for common profile pics, celebrity impersonators, and stock image scams.
2. Google Lens (Mobile)
Built into Android
Tap and hold any image and select Search with Google Lens. It checks both visually similar images and linked content.
3. TinEye
https://tineye.com
Clean, no-frills reverse image search. It’s laser-focused on matching exact images. Great for catching photos copied from older blogs or stolen portfolios. It also tracks where and when the image first appeared.
4. Yandex Images
https://yandex.com/images/
This Russian search engine has spooky-good facial recognition. It often finds matches that Google misses.
Warning: It might return a lot of Russian-language results—but hey, results are results!
5. Bing Visual Search
https://www.bing.com/visualsearch
Microsoft’s answer to Google Lens. Upload or drag and drop an image. Not quite Sherlock Holmes, but it still finds clever matches.
Bonus: It can pull up shopping info, which is handy if your “catfish” is actually a clothing model.
6. PimEyes
https://pimeyes.com/ (Free & Paid options)
Facial recognition powerhouse. Upload a face, and it finds where it appears online.
Note: It’s a bit controversial due to privacy issues, and many features are behind a paywall — but it’s freakishly accurate.
7. FaceCheck.ID
https://facecheck.id/ (Free limited searches)
New kid on the block—focused specifically on face recognition. Helps find people on social media, blogs, or news articles.