A reverse image search is a process that allows you to search the web using an image rather than text. Instead of typing keywords into a search engine, you upload an image, and the search engine finds instances of that image or visually similar ones across the internet. It may also tell you where a photo was taken and who took it.
Reverse image searches are especially helpful if you think you or someone you know may be the target of a romance or dating catfishing scam. In these scam scenarios, the scammer will often use a fake identity or persona on the internet, usually with the intention of tricking or manipulating others. The person doing the catfishing might use a fake photo, name, and other false details to present themselves as someone they’re not. They may use real or manipulated photos of people acquired from social media or a dating site. Doing a reverse image search of the profile photo of the person in question can help identify if they are indeed the person that they are claiming to be or if they are catfishing.
Unfortunately, with the rise in AI technology, scammers can create their own very realistic looking AI generated photos. In these cases, a reverse image search won’t be of much help.
To perform a reverse image search, simply go to Google images and click the camera icon in the search bar. You can then either paste the image URL or upload the image file from your computer. After uploading the image, Google will show web pages where the image appears, as well as visually similar images. You can also use the Bing search engine following the same process.
