Remember when I posted about Epieos? I looked up a couple of email addresses besides my own. That was after I used InfoTracer (a data broker). It was only $2 to do a search. Be sure to cancel right afterward, or you’ll end up paying a monthly fee. I still need to opt out so they don’t sell my personal data.

Do they really think that I’m stupid, though? I do online research for a hobby. The Substack subscription came the day after my article was published on Antiwar.com. My blog gets spammed every week, sometimes twice a week. Every week, someone tries to shut my blog down with a denial-of-service attack. This, ever since I started researching “Project Myoushu,” last year. Of course, I’m going to be suspicious!

This particular scam may be unrelated, but I’ve been suspicious ever since they contacted me. I’ve only told them what I’ve said here, in personal posts that are now private. No, I didn’t fall for the bullshit about me being interesting (or being beautiful), and them wanting to be in a relationship, when they don’t even know me!

Their email doesn’t come up with anything, except for their Google Maps and Calendar, which are both empty. Their IP is located at Google. The Dalles Google Data Center in Oregon to be exact (per InfoTracer). Google is registered with MarkMonitor (a U.S. government contractor).

Luca…lol. Nice touch with the cat pic. This is sick, TBH!

Catfished Meaning: 14 Signs You’re Getting Catfished Online

4. They’re using someone else’s photos.

If you’re unsure whether a person is who they say they are, conduct a Google reverse-image search based on the photos they’re using. If you find out the photos are linked to someone else’s profile, you’ve likely exposed this person’s lie.

Everything felt too good to be true, Burns stressed. “The confirmation came when I did a reverse Google image search on his pictures and found a different guy’s Facebook account,” she said. “His only public post on the account was ‘My account was hacked again.’”

…

13. They’re sharing strong feelings for you, and quickly.

If the person you’ve just met online is telling you they love you or engaging in other over-the-top behavior, this can also be a sign you’re being catfished. Attention like this can feel good, and that’s why predators make such huge declarations: to lure people into their webs. It’s a version of love bombing, and it’s not rooted in anything genuine.

14. Something just feels off.

Don’t be afraid to trust your intuition. If something about your new online pal seems off, pay attention to that feeling. It’s always better to be safe than sorry. If it doesn’t seem like a person is using their true identity, they probably aren’t.

InfoTracer – Love Bombing Signs: How to Recognize This Red Flag Early On

FBI: Romance Scams