Finding out who this man is from his online photograph

[PoliticalSatay]

Hi MN
Really hoping someone can help with this.
A close friend of mine has been having an online friendship / flirtation with a man for around three years. They speak to each other through a forum but message privately and speak on the phone regularly.

My friend has lots of photographs of this man throughout the years he has sent her, we do not know if the man she is speaking to is the man in the photographs or not and would like to find out who he is.
How can we search for his image online to check who he is?
Have tried Google Image Search but it doesn't bring anything up, has anyone used this successfully and can they give me any tips please? It will make a big difference to my friend if we can find out more about the man in the photographs.
Tia xx

Do the model a favour and let him know that his images are being used without his consent.

Your friend could have asked
for a video call 3 years ago…
Why hasn’t she is the question!

I have a suspicion that on some level people who are catfished know that it’s not real but are unwilling to let go of the fantasy.

I think you can be more than 'pretty' sure.

It's also possible it's really a woman. That's a lot more common than you think.

Yes I think so too and I don't blame people for needing a fantasy sometimes.

My friend felt like the voice matches the photos if that makes sense. He wanted to facetime when they met online and she was shy initially then she wanted to facetime.but he was then reluctant so they've both dodged this tbh.

No money involved but an emotional connection between them of sorts.

Tbf this friend has asked a friend to “investigate” this guy so doesn’t exactly sound the sharpest tool in the box

Google lens search is your friend here. It will reverse image search and if the pictures are lifted from somebody else's social media it will find the originals.
Good luck OP.

You need to be very careful OP.

If your friend hasn't insisted on Facetime in 3 bloody years, it means she knows he's fake but doesn't want to confront it.

Don't be that person who forces her to burst the bubble she's happily living in.

Yes I know but I also want to do right by my friend. I think it has been a lovely daydream for her, she has been through a difficult time but I also want to help her wake up from the daydream if she is ready to do that.

What a weird take, a slightly similar thing happened to a friend on mine and she asked me to help, no titillating involved she just knew I am more familiar with SM than she is and that I could be trusted to be discreet

So she hasn't asked you to go digging online and prove he's fake??

If she did, she would be ready to wake up.

If you thrust this in her face, she'll probably never talk to you again.

Don't humiliate the poor woman. If she's enjoying her fantasy, that's her business.

Do you think she'd tell you if she had sent money?

The fact the OP has just said

"she has been through a difficult time but I also want to help her wake up from the daydream if she is ready to do that."

Proves the woman hasn't asked her to interfere at all.

I mean in a 3 year relationship where they haven't facetimed or met up it's unlikely they are going to be getting together unless he is playing the ultra long game.

Does it actually matter what he really looks like ?

Listen to Sweet Bobby. Perhaps send her a link and say how you enjoyed it and thought she would too.

https://www.netflix.com/gb/title/81591286

@ChompandaGrazia You beat me to it. Definitely has Sweet Bobby vibes about it.

I feel sorry for her. Tread carefully, OP.

I've actually already done this!!! The last time I saw my friend she said she hadn't watched it yet.

I think my friend has been in a bubble, a fantasy, and has been enjoying herself. She will come out of that when she is ready to I guess.

I think probably a good percentage of people are having personal relationships online these days.

Also, she must have a name. Can you do searches on Facebook, instragram, LinkedIn etc.

** I gave her the link to the netflix doc sweet bobby.

Maybe invite her around and watch it together.?

Nothing comes up with this name.

If the name was really attached to the model, then there would be a big trail online. We can't find anything just under his name.

We can't find anything just under his name.

Who is the 'we' you're referring to?

It's clearly not your friend?

Who is it then?