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Social Catfish is an online investigation service based in Murrieta, California.[1] The company aims to help users avoid internet fraud like romance scams by providing online identity verification.[2] Their website and app allow users to run background checks, including social searches (names, emails, usernames, and phone numbers) and reverse image searches.[3] The service specializes in determining if a person has been caught on other websites catfishing people.[4][5] Its user interface is similar to other sites that promise personal information will be revealed, only disclosing the cost and payment information after a lengthy, staged series of screens, during which it purportedly searches the entire internet for the requested information..
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| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Founder | David McClellan |
| Headquarters | Murrieta, CA |
| Services | Background Search, Reverse Image Search, Social Search, and Criminal Records |
| Website | https://socialcatfish.com/ |
History
editThe company initially started as a blog to educate people about online scams and catfishing. Today, Social Catfish is a multifaceted investigation tool with the option to run criminal background checks.[6][3]
Social Catfish has been recognized in the media by publications such as Reuters[7] and USA Today,[8] for its ability to detect catfish.[9][10][11]
They were nominated for the Inc. 5000 awards[12] and named the 118th fastest-growing company in America.[13] The founder of Social Catfish, David McClellan, was a semi-finalist for the Spirit Awards[14] in both 2019 and 2021 for best service-based entrepreneur within the inland empire.[15]
Technology
editOne of the services that Social Catfish provides is a reverse image search engine.[16] The data delivered after conducting a search is aggregated based on public data and profiles from various platforms including social media profiles. Their website is controlled and operated from their offices and facilities within the United States.[4]
Social Catfish also employs a members-only group on Facebook. Within the page, people can post and inform others of scammer profiles they may have encountered online or scenarios they have experienced with scammers to make others aware of potential harm.[17]
They also have an alliance with the Responsible Data Alliance which enhances the privacy settings within the web-page to protect users.[18]
References
edit- ^ Benwell, Max (2019-02-20). "How to catch a catfisher". the Guardian. Retrieved 2022-09-12.
- ^ "Christmas season is also catfishing season. Don't fall for a romance scam". Los Angeles Times. 2021-12-16. Retrieved 2022-09-12.
- ^ a b "Owner of Social Catfish Breaks Down Online Dating Scams". AARP. Retrieved 2022-09-12.
- ^ a b Zhang, Enya (2022-01-17). "Account Finder: How to Find Accounts Linked to Email (2022)". Super Easy. Retrieved 2022-09-12.
- ^ Brooks, Amber (2021-04-14). "Social Catfish Helps Assure Online Daters the Singles They Meet are Authentic - [Dating News]". DatingNews.com. Retrieved 2022-09-12.
- ^ Briquelet, Kate; Shugerman, Emily (2022-08-21). "She was 69. He Was Young, Hunky—and a Fraud". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 2022-09-12.
- ^ "U.S. coronavirus fraud losses near $100 million as COVID scams double". Reuters. 2020-08-05. Retrieved 2022-09-12.
- ^ Bridges, C. A. "Are you pretty sure you're dating NASCAR driver Hailie Deegan? How to avoid getting catfished". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2022-09-12.
- ^ "I Was Catfished: This Is What I Decided to Do About It". HuffPost. 2015-09-02. Retrieved 2022-09-12.
- ^ Harper, Gary. "Arizona ranks as 14th most "catfished" state; average victim duped out of $28K". KTVK. Retrieved 2022-09-12.
- ^ 'Dr. Phil's' Catfish Week, 2020-11-16, retrieved 2022-09-12
- ^ "Social Catfish is a 2021 Inc. 5000 honoree". Inc.com. Retrieved 2022-09-12.
- ^ Harfosh, Billy (2022-06-27). "David McClellan President Social Catfish". KFYI. Retrieved 2022-09-12.
- ^ "Finalists announced for 2021 Spirit of the Entrepreneur Awards, celebrating a new era of innovation | CSUSB News | CSUSB". www.csusb.edu. Retrieved 2022-09-12.
- ^ Content, Partner (2019-09-25). "2019 Spirit of the Entrepreneur Semi-Finalists Announced". InlandEmpire.us. Retrieved 2022-09-12.
- ^ Joz, David (2022-03-03). "13 of the Best People Finder and Phone Number Lookup Websites". Make Tech Easier. Retrieved 2022-09-12.
- ^ Barron, Ann Marie (2021-09-30). "Study Outlines Top Scams on Popular Social Media Apps". GovTech. Retrieved 2022-09-12.
- ^ Jordan (2022-02-08). "Responsible Data Alliance's Commitment to Service". Scamfish - A Consumer Protection Publication - SocialCatfish.com. Retrieved 2022-09-12.