Online Deception: Catfish: The TV Show
Against my better judgment, I found myself sucked in to reality tv’s latest offering on MTV:
Catfish: The TV Show. The show originated from the documentary film, Catfish, about a guy who meets a woman online and falls for her, only to discover it was a all a hoax.
You would think with all of our daily use of technology, smart phones, video chats, etc. that it would be challenging to pretend to be somebody else. Sadly, the show seems to feature people who are really trusting, a little technologically challenging, and maybe a little gullible.
I couldn’t help but feel bad for the people who were faced with the revelation that the person who they grew to care for was either non-existent or misrepresenting themselves. How do you get past that kind of deception?
Have you ever experienced any Catfish situations online? Has anyone ever pretended to be someone else? If we continue to meet and interact online, what are tips we can use to navigate the shady and untrustworthy people?
By Wise Diva, Misadventures in Atlanta Dating Blog.
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235 comments Add your comment
disco
December 6th, 2012
11:20 am
S/H – 11:05. now that’s funny.
Leggs
December 6th, 2012
11:21 am
Wished I was asked me!
Exiled!
December 6th, 2012
11:23 am
ohhh..Single..its not personal! lol
Now u showing ur Napoleon Complex
Leggs
December 6th, 2012
11:24 am
Wish I knew how to form a sentence.
Blackfoote: The Real Blackfoote
December 6th, 2012
11:26 am
Single I’m sure there are some good hook ups and bad just like in the reality world. Good to know the chance you took sorta worked out for you.
Exiled!
December 6th, 2012
11:28 am
well,its personal if its true..then..but no regrets…i punch the way i see it
Blackfoote: The Real Blackfoote
December 6th, 2012
11:29 am
Thanks for the reminder y’all I got to get my tag in a couple of days.
Celisea
December 6th, 2012
11:30 am
Thumping Thunderous Thursday is underway
Look at me…lol Not sure yet the plans for tonight but I’m thinking 
I may as well enjoy these few days and GET A BANG out of being off cause when I go back I’ll be covering for folks for the next 4 weeks…even though the week of Christmas was suppose to be my vacay. Still, I’m working from home that week, so I’m sure I can make the best out of it…lol
Celisea
December 6th, 2012
11:31 am
MMeello – i punch it the way i see it
LOLOL
Albert
December 6th, 2012
11:50 am
Celisea, I have read that online dating is the fastest-growing way to meet people. I don’t have an active social life offline with people my age at all, so I’ve been wondering if online dating is the thing to try. I did get “Catfished” once, a long time ago, when I met a girl online in a disability chatroom I am disabled), and she actually pretended to have a medical procedure that presumably killed her. (She didn’t, and to this day, i don’t even know if she was really disabled.)
Exiled!
December 6th, 2012
11:50 am
why uall quiet..LOL
DuShawn
December 6th, 2012
11:58 am
Cirque du Soleil’s TOTEM …has anyone seen this yet. im thinking about going next week. Any reviews?
Celisea
December 6th, 2012
12:02 pm
Albert – Wow, that’s awful. I just don’t believe the art of meeting people the old fashion way is dead or a thing of the past. I’ve read you before and read where you mentioned your disability. I know it might be easy for me to say but I think there’s someone out there for everyone. Sorry to hear about you being “Catfished.” Hope things work out for you
Celisea
December 6th, 2012
12:03 pm
K…gone for real….
Hope it’s thunderous and interesting if I peek in later…lol
DuShawn
December 6th, 2012
12:12 pm
- Exiled -Somebody mentioned they had SAP experience, was it you? Whomeva it was, we got a position opening up. Holla at me.
Delvon
December 6th, 2012
12:14 pm
What it do folk? Not one for online dating…too much left to chance. Facebook freaks have tried to gain access, but was denied.
Exiled!
December 6th, 2012
12:15 pm
what type of SAP position Du?
I never got a shot with SAP but gave up after looking and interviewing plenty…
Is it a SAP FICO coz thats what I did…but I have given up on SAP…I am on Oracle BI now…
Bluzgirl
December 6th, 2012
12:21 pm
Now, ya’ll got me thinking about maybe getting my parents a weekend getaway in the mountains for Christmas…I’ve been struggling with what to get them…
Exiled!
December 6th, 2012
12:25 pm
Funny u say parents Bluz coz u always talk bout ur mom..
I wanted to ask u on one occassion if u had a dad but tinkered and stopped coz its an unspoken blashphemy sometimes.
DuShawn
December 6th, 2012
12:29 pm
-Ex- It is SAP FICO, the financial module. I don’t know if you would be interested. One of the staff accountants/ Jr. Analyst is leaving. He did a lot material maintenance and production variance stuff.
I’m assuming he was making around 60k. I here talk that they may want to bring in a temp just to create materials within SAP (That’s typically around $25/hr.) The position will be vacated and we just made a new aquisition, so the will be looking to fill it permanently. I not sure how they will proceed.
Exiled!
December 6th, 2012
12:35 pm
Ok DuShawn…not quite the same thing I wanted OR would do….I would do SAP FICO Implementation,not Accounting_Functional stuff.
But Thanx for looking out!.
Single and Happy Thunderous Thursday
December 6th, 2012
12:47 pm
Ex, believe me I don’t take nothing personal, no kind of complex here.
Bluzgirl
December 6th, 2012
12:48 pm
I talk about my mom because I’m much closer to her. I am also daddy’s girl and he will do anything for me, but we don’t talk every day like I talk to mom…
Single and Happy Thunderous Thursday
December 6th, 2012
12:51 pm
Albert, don’t go online just for dating, try the meetups you can find people that have some of the same interest
Exiled!
December 6th, 2012
1:01 pm
ok..lemme go watch my Liverpool
wish me luck
Peyton tonite!
halo46
December 6th, 2012
1:12 pm
Good afternoon bloggies. Since I don’t do the club scene, how are you guys meeting people without online dating? When I am out and about, I can’t tell if someone is single, married, gay, straight, involved, attracted to me, etc. I get hit on occassionally when I am out running errands or at the mall, but mostly by crackheads or guys that are too young or too old or too broke. lol When I share with my closest friends that I do online dating, they just don’t get it. Online dating is easy for me because I know what I like. I mostly meet the person in the profile. Although I haven’t found the guy who is perfect for me, I have met guys that I can date for a few months and try to get to know better.
Bluzgirl
December 6th, 2012
1:20 pm
halo – That’s one thing I want to know is where to meet good, quality men. The last one I “dated,” I met in a bar and I’m seeing that he drinks or wants to drink too much…That makes me skeptical about meeting other men in a bar…
Single and Happy Thunderous Thursday
December 6th, 2012
1:29 pm
Bluz, Halo, why the rush to meet someone to date, just meet people and enjoy their company, they may not be the one for you, but maybe they have a friend. Life is too short to hang your happiness on someone else, I’m not saying that’s what you guys are doing.
halo46
December 6th, 2012
1:30 pm
Bluzgirl, I lived in Atlanta, but now live in Virginia. Either I dated the military men whom I worked with on post, or I did online dating. There are a lot of nice guys online. My approach is to look at their profile photo and their income or profession. Then I read what their interests are. If you see someone with 4 kids and they live with him, then more than likely his wife is living there too. lol KIM
halo46
December 6th, 2012
1:32 pm
S/H. I agree. When I meet them and if they are not right for me, I would entertain a friendship. But most guys do not want to just hang around a girl as a friend, if they have an interest. Although I have a couple of just friends from the online sites.
Single and Happy Thunderous Thursday
December 6th, 2012
1:44 pm
Halo, maybe you can find a meetup in your area so you can find people with like interest.
halo46
December 6th, 2012
1:48 pm
Yeah, I work as a civilian for the Army and most guys my age are either married or I am not attracted too. I’ve met a new guy recently (not military) and I took my profile down to see where this takes us. He is such a gentleman, yes, a gentleman (i think anyway). We’ve been dating for about a month, but no intimacy yet. He is taking it slow and I am going at his pace.
Single and Happy Thunderous Thursday
December 6th, 2012
1:55 pm
Mighty quiet today, did everyone go home?
Single and Happy Thunderous Thursday
December 6th, 2012
1:56 pm
Halo, slow and easy is always the best way to go.
Leggs
December 6th, 2012
1:57 pm
That’s refreshing to hear, halo46. I wish you the best.
Leggs
December 6th, 2012
1:58 pm
Exactly, Single! So many want to tear the draws off right out the gate…both men and women!
halo46
December 6th, 2012
2:01 pm
So many want to tear the draws off right out the gate…both men and women!
Leggs, that is sooo true. Here in VA, most start asking on the second date. At least in Atlanta, they would wait until after the third date.
Leggs
December 6th, 2012
2:04 pm
I was told women are “supposed” to have sex after the third date. What happens if you have 3 dates in 7 days?
Single and Happy Thunderous Thursday
December 6th, 2012
2:10 pm
Even when it involves sex, no what both of you want in the beginning, while for some sex is essentially consummating the relationship, for others, it’s a quick fix but we’re still not there yet. Some first date sex has turned into great relationships.
Bluzgirl
December 6th, 2012
2:11 pm
S/H – I’m not necessarily looking for someone to date…it would be nice. I just want to meet new people. I really wasn’t expecting to meet the Young One when I did. I’ve found out that I only want a friendship with him. Maybe I’ll look into doing the Meet Up thing. I’m sure they have one for people who enjoy going to see music…
Single and Happy Thunderous Thursday
December 6th, 2012
2:12 pm
Leggs, who told you that, a woman should have sex when she’s ready, whether it be the first day or the honeymoon!!
Leggs
December 6th, 2012
2:16 pm
I agree, Single. A male told me that (but of course) and he meant it. I told him if he keeps thinking like that he’ll be holding his own ding-a-ling a lot longer than he’s already holding it.
A man/woman has sex when they want to, not when they’re supposed to.
Exiled!
December 6th, 2012
2:18 pm
Halo46 so offline these guys you are not attracted are not visible but once u go online BAM!!!
That’s hilarious!
U in Virginia so u sure going to find your ex home,online military Catfish there.
Exiled!
December 6th, 2012
2:20 pm
Attracted to
Blackfoote: The Real Blackfoote
December 6th, 2012
2:22 pm
LOL…….@Leggs at the 3 date rule, what if all three dates occur in the same day. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner dates that means it’s time to pay up…………LOL
disco
December 6th, 2012
2:23 pm
halo – not that you said crackheads were trying to holler. that’s funny. I run into my share of run of the mill ne’er do wellers but I don’t think (note I say think) I’ve run into any crackheads. lol.
S/H – re meeting someone and maybe they have a friend. I probably preach the “vessel” mentality more than I should. degrees of separation are a mother.
Single and Happy Thunderous Thursday
December 6th, 2012
2:26 pm
Disco, what’s the “vessel mentality”?
disco
December 6th, 2012
2:27 pm
S/H – nothing more than what you said. the person/activity that you don’t want like may be the person/activity that leads you to the one you do. they or it is simply the vessel to get you where you are supposed to be.
halo46
December 6th, 2012
2:28 pm
Ex – I just don’t run into guys while I am out and about. I guess I go to the same places mostly around the same time of day. lol And they are not there. For example, the guy I met recently lives 40 miles from me. He and I joke if we would not have connected online, we would have never met. Like I said when I am out and about, I don’t know a man’s status. While online he finds my pic and introduces himself. I look at his picture, read his profile to see if he is single and looking for a relationhsip, and either I say hello back or just don’t respond.
Blackfoote: The Real Blackfoote
December 6th, 2012
2:29 pm
Dating rules, list, and crystal balls where do this stuff come from, anybody thought about using their mind. This aint coming from 20 somethings because I’ve asked some and they find it as strange as I do that people live by them.