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    Safety & Privacy
    Intermediate
    2 min read 5 stepsApril 15, 2026Verified April 2026

    How to Verify Someone You Met Online Is Real

    Before meeting someone from a dating site, marketplace, or social media, use these free techniques to verify they are who they say they are.

    At a Glance

    Category
    Safety & Privacy
    Difficulty
    Intermediate
    Read Time
    2 min read
    Steps
    5
    Topics covered
    verification
    scams
    catfishing
    online dating
    safety

    In this guide (5 steps):

    1. 1.Reverse image search their photos
    2. 2.Search their name and claimed details
    3. 3.Check their social media history
    4. 4.Video call before meeting in person
    5. 5.Never send money to someone you have not met
    1

    Reverse image search their photos

    ~15s
    Save their profile photo and upload it to images.google.com (click the camera icon) and tineye.com. If the photo belongs to a model, celebrity, or stock photo site, you are talking to a fake account.
    2

    Search their name and claimed details

    ~15s
    Google their full name in quotes plus their claimed city or employer: "Jane Smith" "Portland" OR "Acme Corp". Check if the results match what they told you.
    3

    Check their social media history

    ~15s
    Real people have years of social media history. Check how old their profiles are, how many friends/followers they have, and whether their posts look genuine. Fake accounts are usually new with few connections.
    4

    Video call before meeting in person

    ~15s
    Ask for a video call. Real people will agree. If they always have an excuse (camera broken, bad internet, too shy), they may be using stolen photos. FaceTime, Zoom, or Google Meet are all free.
    5

    Never send money to someone you have not met

    ~15s
    No matter how convincing the story — medical emergency, travel expenses, business opportunity — never send money to someone you have only met online. This is the #1 indicator of a scam.

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    Romance scams, fake buyers/sellers, and impersonation are common online. Before sharing personal information, sending money, or meeting someone in person, take a few minutes to verify they are real. These techniques are free, legal, and surprisingly effective.

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    verification
    scams
    catfishing
    online dating
    safety

    Official Resources

    FTC Consumer ProtectionCISA — Cybersecurity TipsAARP Fraud Watch Network

    Sources used to create and verify this guide. View all sources →

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