How to use reverse image search to avoid scams

When it comes to tackling certain types of scams such as romance scams and online catfishing, the reverse image search can be an invaluable tool. So what is it and how can you use it? We discuss.

No doubt most of us are confident with using traditional Internet search engines. You type in a word or phrase and the search engine returns webpages that feature that word or phrase. Easy.

A reverse image search is exactly the same, only with images. Instead of typing in words, you provide an image and the search engine finds other webpages from around the Internet that feature that image.

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There are two primary search engines available. TinEye and, yes you guessed it, Google. You can access these at TinEye.com and Images.Google.com.

First you have to provide either of these search engines with the image you want to search for. This can be done in one of two ways.

First, upload the image. This means you’ll need the image saved on your device and you just browse to it. This is easier on PC or laptops.
Second, copy the image web address. This means you just need to have an instance of the image [you want to search for] available to you on the Internet. You copy the web address of the image (instructions will vary from browser to browser) and you paste that web address into the search engine bar and search away.

Below is Google’s image search displaying both options to provide them with an image.

We recommend doing this on desktop or laptop computers but it is possible on mobile devices too.

So how does this help with avoiding scams?

Certain scams, namely online romance scams and catfishing will usually involve the cybercrook (or potential cybercrook) sending you photos of – what they claim to be – themselves. However, such photos are often stolen from other people online and repurposed by the crook.

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Using a reverse image search, you could tell if a photo sent to you is available elsewhere online under different names.

So for example if you’re talking to man who identifies himself as Tom and he offers you an image of himself, and you perform a reverse image search that shows the image being used by someone called Jerry, this suggests the person you’re talking to online isn’t being honest with you. And of course this is a big red flag and you could be being scammed.

Reverse image searches can also be used for a variety of other things, such as debunking digitally manipulated photos or photos being spread under a false context. They can also be useful for copyright holders to see if their images are being stolen and made available elsewhere online.