Catfished: How to Spot a Romance Scam
It’s the number one scam in the United States and the people doing it are getting more and more sophisticated.
Catfishing is more than just an occupational hazard for women looking for love - but knowledge is power and this episode will help you spot the red flags, and could save you a fortune.
Matchmaker Gina Hendrix meets David McClellan, aka "the Catfish King," founder of Social Catfish and star of Fox Nation's Scammed & Getting Even, as well as the YouTube channel Catfished.
David has spent over a decade building tools and investigative techniques to help people figure out who they're really talking to online, and he and Gina dig into just how sophisticated, and how common, romance scams have become.
He reveals the biggest case he's ever uncovered, explains how scam tactics differ depending on who's being targeted, and how AI has completely changed the catfishing game.
David explains why people 55 and older are disproportionately targeted, but it’s not just people in that age bracket that need to be aware - 18-to-22-year-olds are actually the fastest-growing group of scam victims.
The conversation moves onto dating apps, money-transfer sites and how small adjustments to your online activity could save you from being catfished.
The big takeaway: everything worth having requires real effort, and if it feels too easy or too perfect, it's worth slowing down and trusting your gut.
LINKS:
Social Catfish: socialcatfish.com
Scammed & Getting Even: imdb.com/title/tt38813012
YouTube channel Catfished: youtube.com/@CatfishedOnline
New episodes every week. Follow Gina on TikTok and Instagram @MatchmakerGinaHendrix and visit ginahendrix.com to learn more about her matchmaking for men and coaching programs for women.
CHAPTERS:
(00:00) Introduction
(02:18) Biggest Catfish Scams and Losses
(04:17) Spotting Married Men Online
(07:58) Catfish Red Flags
(10:06) Real Scam Story From Gina’s DMs
(15:52) Tips for Verifying People
(26:20) Final Catfished Takeaways
