How long have you been fooled by a false identity?

Quote by BethanyFrasier
It doesn't happen to me here much, because I reverse-image search everyone's pics whom I friend (or potentially friend), so I know who's using fake pics and who isn't. If someone has no pics, or uses pics they got off the net, I don't invest much in the friendship. Everyone who's socially active online should learn how to reverse-image search using multiple image engines, and also learn how to look for other clues of deception so they don't get taken in so often. I've been the senior-admin on another social site for over 5 years, and we screen members carefully so there aren't many fakes on our site, but most social networks are looking for numbers, not authenticity. So fakes abound. To quote a line from 'Casablanca': "Vultures! Vultures everywhere!"

Quote by Porgy87
I met someone here on Lush and was completely convinced that I was speaking with a real person whose profile was truthful and honest. We had, I thought, a sincere friendship with a genuine intimacy. It took me nine (9!) solid months of almost daily conversations to discover that the person was a fake.

What's the longest you've been fooled by a faker here?

Quote by Dani


Reverse image searching is not always a sure thing.

Some people are also good (or not so good) with Photoshop. So they can place their heads on anyone's body and/or choose any background, creating a unique image that won't be found using a reverse image search. Just because you can't find someone's pictures online doesn't mean they're in the clear.

It gets quite convoluted and can be exhausting to keep track of. That's why I don't bother unless it's so obvious that someone's basically insulting my intelligence.

Quote by sprite
Everyone still thinks i'm a human girl and not a cat. *snickers* mew.

Quote by BethanyFrasier
Nothing is a sure thing, but you're playing the numbers game here... at least 80% of fakes online are either too lazy or don't know how to PS, and use pics that are easily traceable online, and even borrowed backgrounds are traceable if enough of the image is preserved. Some reverse-image search engine are apps you can incorporate into your browser, so a simple search is only a right-click away. Image search is just one of several techniques we use on our site to spot fakes. Most of you don't have server-access to trace IP addresses, so RIS is a technique anyone can use.

Quote by TheQuiet1

As someone already stated, most people here don't use their real pictures as their avatars and many that do, don't show you enough of themselves to be identified. Not sure why it is even a big deal. Of course people are going to want some sort of privacy, especially on a site like this. And yes, my avatar is not me and never will be me. I just picked it because I liked the guys clothing style. I may switch it out in the future to some other image that may represent something I like or trait in my personality.

However, just because my avatar is not me, that doesn't mean you cant get to know the real me. The real me is not a picture, it is my personality and interests. The things I say and express here, are the real me. In fact, if we become friends, you may get to know more about me than people who know me in person, because the anonymity allows me to be more open about my real thoughts and feelings. Not to say, I wouldn't ever consider sharing my real picture with an online friend if that was important to them. I have before and I would again, but I would have to feel a connection and certainly trust them, especially since I probably tell them more than some of my in person friends.

In our daily lives, where people see your real face, I am sure most of us were some type of virtual mask, so to speak, at last to those who are not our family or friends. So seeing the real face, doesn't mean they know the real you either.

On Lush, my mask is my avatar. The rest is me.

In my in person life, my face is real, and many people get to know a little about me, but I am guarded to only let a select few to get to know a lot about the real me.

But to answer the original question, I was fooled once in talking to what I thought was a girl and it turned out to be a guy. Although I don't mind people using fake pictures, I do like to know your gender and personality is not fake.

Quote by Dani
...

If/when the truth does come out, the heartbreak is very real. And I'm sorry that's something you had to go through, Porgy87. It sucks, and I'm not really sure what else to say about it. It's not something I'd wish on my worst enemy. But you definitely have my sympathy.

Having a bit of fun is one thing, but deceiving people and playing with real emotions is another thing entirely. No one deserves that.

Quote by Porgy87

To be fair, I felt more sadness and disappointment than anger when I decided that I had been hustled. In a very real sense, all that happened is that some electrons got moved around and a bunch of LEDs got lit up; there was no exchange of bodily fluids. I'm all right.

BTW, Dani, you adorable big-haired bitch, you, I am 100% dead solid certain that you are genuine. No one could possibly make up a persona as interesting as you!

Quote by Dani


Perfectly stated.

Quote by sprite


it's a wig. *nods knowingly*

Quote by TheQuiet1
As someone already stated, most people here don't use their real pictures as their avatars and many that do, don't show you enough of themselves to be identified. Not sure why it is even a big deal. Of course people are going to want some sort of privacy, especially on a site like this. And yes, my avatar is not me and never will be me. I just picked it because I liked the guys clothing style. I may switch it out in the future to some other image that may represent something I like or trait in my personality.

However, just because my avatar is not me, that doesn't mean you cant get to know the real me. The real me is not a picture, it is my personality and interests. The things I say and express here, are the real me. In fact, if we become friends, you may get to know more about me than people who know me in person, because the anonymity allows me to be more open about my real thoughts and feelings. Not to say, I wouldn't ever consider sharing my real picture with an online friend if that was important to them. I have before and I would again, but I would have to feel a connection and certainly trust them, especially since I probably tell them more than some of my in person friends.

In our daily lives, where people see your real face, I am sure most of us were some type of virtual mask, so to speak, at least to those who are not our family or friends. So seeing the real face, doesn't mean they know the real you either.

On Lush, my mask is my avatar. The rest is me.

In my in-person life, my face is real, and many people get to know a little about me, but I am guarded to only let a select few to get to know a lot about the real me.

But to answer the original question, I was fooled once in talking to what I thought was a girl and it turned out to be a guy. Although I don't mind people using fake pictures, I do like to know your gender and personality is not fake.

Quote by Dani


Everyone always picks on the defenseless one.

Quote by Dancewithme
I was once deceived about a person's gender for 7 years.

Quote by sprite

it's a wig. *nods knowingly*

Quote by Dani
Reverse image searching is not always a sure thing.

Some people are also good (or not so good) with Photoshop. So they can place their heads on anyone's body and/or choose any background, creating a unique image that won't be found using a reverse image search. Just because you can't find someone's pictures online doesn't mean they're in the clear.

It gets quite convoluted and can be exhausting to keep track of. That's why I don't bother unless it's so obvious that someone's basically insulting my intelligence.

Quote by Buz
I dare say that very few people, much less than 10%, use their real picture or name on Lush. For most that could be disastrous for their jobs, careers and family. And really, you can know a person's real name and real face, but that doesn't stop them from being a 'fake'.

Quote by Gillianleeeza
Such is the nature of online friendships. I'm still not sure what the OP meant about being fooled...Was there nothing real at all about the person?...

Quote by Gillianleeeza
Such is the nature of online friendships. I'm still not sure what the OP meant about being fooled. I just assume most people are not using their real names and identities at first. Later if things progress maybe we'll share information that is factual. Was there nothing real at all about the person? I'm assuming it wasn't a robot, just that the information they gave you was false. It's sad but it happens a lot. I know I am way too trusting at times. I do have actual photos of myself that I show on my profile. Sadly, I have removed some over time. Trusting someone in a strictly online relationship is always going to be fraught with difficulties. There are times that I thought it wasn't worth trying to make friends that way. I'm not a quitter though, so I kept at it and have found some real friends here. Sorry to say though that the path to getting there is littered with fake and sometimes mean and cruel people. In the meantime, I'll always be an optimist and hope that the good people outweigh the bad.