WOW. I can't even say more than wow for a moment. Why are people so trusting online?? Doesn't everyone see the horror stories on the news like I do? SMH.
Anyway, today I logged on and found out Facebook had discovered my fake-ness. I needed to confirm my identity. I applaud Facebook for picking up on it so quickly, yet boo them for how easily I was able to get past this.
First step was to identify my "friends" on Facebook. Well crap, I don't know these people! I was shown three photos, and six names, asking to confirm who they were. Five set too! My first try was terrible, I fail miserably and assumed this would be the end of my catfish story. I had to wait a few minutes before I could try again.
Second try I did a little logical thinking. Looking at the photos, who was in them, style of clothing, gender, even ethnicity helped me choose the names a little more carefully. A photo with religious tchotchke's in the background and a Puerto Rican flag would lean me towards the photo owner being named Jose or Ricco more likely than Shawn or Pete. By the grace of catfish gods, I passed. But the test wasn't over.
Now I had to confirm my identity with a phone number. I had already used mine for my personal, my husband's for his, and my husband's work phone for my back up personal, so I didn't have another phone option. To google Batman! How to create a phone number able to receive texts. It took a little bit of searching, but I discovered Burner. Burner is an app for Android and iPhone that generates a false phone number in the area code of your choice, while sending all calls and texts to the app on your phone. Perfect. My only concern was if Facebook could somehow pick up on the fact that it was a fake number. Not even close, text went right though and Amanda had been confirmed.
*Phew* What a relief! I would have been fine if it didn't work, but I felt like I did something sneaky and awesome by passing it. My inner Anonymous is very proud.
I relogged in to Amanda's account. Holy notifications. 17 friends requests, 13 messages and 48 notifications. Uh wow! And all I had done was upload three status and 5 pictures. Dayum. I accept all the requests, glance over the likes and head to messages. All of them are men, with most of the opening lines saying "hey girl, you are so beautiful. I want to know you." Not a single question as to who I was, or how I knew them. I'm astonished. Today I'll see if I can engage with some of these people and see what they'll offer to a stranger. Considering all of their posts (their children, their spouses, their family, their workplace, etc) are already on my timeline, I imagine, I won't have much trouble.
Till tomorrow my loves. <3
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