Is My Sugar Baby Online a Catfisher? How to Spot Them?

A pretty girl tempts you online with seductive pictures, strikes up a conversation to get you hooked, and then asks for money, but will refuse to meet you when you ask her to do so! Sounds familiar? This is exactly what catfishing is like! A catfish sugar baby is quite common nowadays, so you have to be on guard before approaching anyone online. This technique relies on gaining a victim’s trust and building a relationship with them. The end goal is mostly to get them to cough up money, but at times catfishers do it to satisfy their own urges and ego too. 

What Is a Catfisher?

A catfisher is someone who sets up fake online profiles on dating platforms, so they can trick people into a sham romance. The reason why a catfish sugar baby does this is obvious – developing an online relationship and ultimately asking for money. At times, they do this for the satisfaction of preying upon others and psychologically manipulating them. Catfishers know exactly how to take advantage of human needs and social behavior. Online dating sites are specifically designed so people can find and connect with others for the purpose of dating and often to develop a long-lasting relationship. A catfish sugar baby relies on the nature of online profiles and discussions to hone and practice their craft. They always seek out emotionally vulnerable people. They won’t ever meet in person, and will insist on continuing the entire communication online. Eventually, they try to get their targets to sympathize with them and start sending money – it goes on till the catfishers move on to their “next”, or the target realizes he has been “catfished”.

Why Are Sugar Babies Catfishing Online?

Loneliness and poor self-esteem

Some people are lonely and lack confidence in real life. They try to compensate by creating a false online persona that is attractive, rich, charming, and desirable. Maybe they have been rejected too many times, so they choose to become a catfish sugar baby and trick people this way. 

Getting revenge

At times, sugar babies might target people they know in real life, who might have wronged them in some way. Catfishing can be used as a means to stalk them, steal their personal information, or just make them look stupid.

Mental problems

Nowadays, you often hear about others going through depression, anxiety, and other mental issues. It can compel a catfish sugar baby to create a false identity online to entrap people. Often they wish to toy with others in order to feel better, while also earning a nice sum on the side.

Experiment with sexual desires

Sometimes, a person wishes to change their gender role, but is unable to do so. Catfishing becomes an escape from the harsh reality they live in. A catfish sugar baby might want to experiment with fetishes or other sexual preferences as well – creating a fake online persona lets them explore limitless possibilities.

Financial gain

This is the most common reason for sugar babies to start catfishing. Maybe they don’t have a steady job, are neck-deep in debt, or simply wish to live a lavish lifestyle at the expense of others! They look for sugar daddies, gain their trust, make them feel wanted, invoke sexual desires, and finally extract a good amount of cash. A catfish sugar baby may entice the victim to share sensitive financial information, which is then used to steal money. Sometimes, they might ask for intimate photos and use it for blackmail later on.

“Have You Ever Been Catfished?” Stories from Real Sugar Daddies

Men are always attracted to beautiful girls on online dating sites. A Reddit user anonymously posted about how he liked a girl as her pictures were stunning – he had long conversations with her, and fell for her big time. But he wondered how such a gorgeous girl was still single, so he Googled her images and found other profiles using the same pictures. When confronted the catfisher blocked him immediately!

Another user on Reddit shared how he was catfished by a girl who came up with a sob story of having a deceased twin. She said that a car crash had claimed the lives of both her father and sister. Adding to her woes was the fact that her mother was dead and she was forced to live with her uncle and work in a gentleman’s club at only 16 years old. Not only were these utter lies, but the picture of the person being used to chat was someone else! 

Even celebrities have fallen prey to a catfish sugar baby. Back in 2013, Notre Dame football player Manti Te’o was shattered as he thought his girlfriend Lennay Kekua had passed away from leukemia. Reporters dug deep and discovered that Kekua was entirely fictional. Te’o had been catfished by a man called Ronaiah Tuiasosopo.

Criminal Minds actor Thomas Gibson was catfished in 2011 by a woman who would send fake photos sourced from several porn sites. He in turn had sent explicit photos of himself, which were used to blackmail him later on.

Serial catfisher Angela Wesselman-Pierce has duped numerous people over the years. It was Nev Schulman who mentioned her in the 2010 documentary Catfish, and spoke about how he got caught in her deceit and lies, after believing she was a woman named Megan. In fact, this documentary coined the term “catfish” for the first time!

Signs You're Being Catfished by a Sugar Baby

If you spot these telltale signs while talking to someone online, chances are they are a catfish sugar baby:

They barely have an online presence – they don’t seem to exist and there is no information regarding their personal life, professional details, photos, etc. Sometimes, a new or recently created profile on social media could be a red flag too, as it will have a few photos, a handful of friends or followers, less posts, and hardly any personal information.

A catfish sugar baby often uses photos of other people to create a false identity online. Look out for accounts with only a handful of photos, or images that look photoshopped. A reverse-image Google search might reveal that a photo is fake, stock, or taken from elsewhere.

Does your sugar baby refuse video calls constantly? It could be because they have used fake photos and don’t wish to reveal their true selves.

If you are being catfished, the fraudster will likely want to pursue a relationship exclusively online. When you ask for a meeting, they make excuses or agree only to cancel at the last minute due to some emergency.

Catfishers often fake emergencies where they urgently require money to take care of a family member or pay bills. They might even say it is to buy a plane ticket or rent a car to visit. Don’t start sending money without meeting in person. If you want an online relationship only, make sure to verify via video call if the person is genuine or not. 

A catfisher is desperate, so they might pretend to be in love with you after chatting just a couple of times. They are likely to make romantic overtures, share intimate stories, call you by lovey-dovey names, etc.

Use a Verified Sugar Daddy Website to Avoid Being Catfished

If you are searching for sugar babies to strike up a relationship with, it is imperative to do it from a verified platform as it significantly minimizes the risk of being defrauded or blackmailed. SugarDaddySeek is a reliable website that offers excellent features to guarantee security and protect privacy – take a look:

Thorough verification process

Every member who signs up has to undergo rigorous verification procedures. Advanced technology and face recognition is used to filter out fake photos and dubious information. Thus, you can rest assured about clicking on legit profiles.

Credible members

The best part is that registrations are only accepted from the top 20 richest countries in the world. 

Advanced searching options

The ultimate goal is to create a perfect match for both sugar daddies and babies, which is why extensive search options are included, such as distance, location, occupation, height, body type, etc. You can even search for sugar babies in incognito mode, so your profile is invisible in the search results.

Protection of privacy

You control access to your photos by setting them to private. Only after you approve, can a particular user see them. Private photos can be viewed by people you choose and no one else! There is a “Hide Profile” option, so if you feel someone is bugging you, simply use it to hide from them temporarily or even permanently. 

View user profiles unlimited number of times

There is no limit or extra charges for viewing the “more than 100k user profiles” and sending a quick message. Moreover, the “Who Liked Me” feature shows you their profile in real-time. 

Conclusion

Catfishing is going up at an exponential rate as more people become receptive to the idea of online dating. To avoid a catfish sugar baby, don’t send money to anyone you meet online without verifying their identity first. The best way to do so would be to ask for an in-person meeting. If that isn’t possible, request for a video call at least. Sometimes, catfish sugar babies ask for small amounts of money at first, and then start increasing the amount. Under no circumstances should you send any explicit photos without knowing if the person is genuine. Don’t fall into any such traps, even if you are enamored by the sugar baby and her looks! While talking to someone online, you might feel that things aren’t right – it is just a feeling you get. Even if you can’t exactly identify the red flag, it is best to trust your instincts and steer clear from a situation that feels off.