Whether you've met someone on Tinder, received a business inquiry from a stranger, or are about to rent out your apartment, it's perfectly reasonable to want to know who you're dealing with. Here's what you can do yourself, and when it's worth getting professional help.
Step 1: Search the name
Start simple. Search the full name in Google with quotes: "Ola Nordmann".
Add their city or employer to narrow it down. Check the first 2-3 pages of results.
Then go to 1881.no and Gulesider.no. Here you can verify that the person actually exists at the address they claim, and often see their age and phone number.
Step 2: Check the photos
This is the most important step for exposing catfishing. Take their profile photo and do a reverse image search:
- Google Lens: Open Google Images and click the camera icon. Upload the photo.
- Yandex Images: Often better than Google at finding faces. Use yandex.com/images.
- TinEye: Finds the exact same image on other websites.
If the photo appears on a stock photo site, another person's profile, or a modeling agency page, you have your answer.
Step 3: Verify social media
A real person typically has a digital footprint that's consistent. Check:
- Do they have multiple platforms (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn)?
- Are the profiles consistent? Same name, same city, same age group?
- How old is the account? Newly created accounts are a red flag.
- Do they have real friends/followers, or just bots?
- Do they post content over time, or is everything from the same period?
A typical fake profile has perfect photos, few posts, and the friend list is either empty or full of other fake profiles.
Step 4: Check companies and roles
If the person claims to run a company or hold a specific job, this is easy to verify. Search on Proff.no or the Brønnøysund Registers. You can see all registered companies, board positions and ownership for a person.
Step 5: Red flags to watch for
- No hits on 1881/Gulesider: The person is either unlisted, foreign, or doesn't exist.
- Photos found elsewhere: Catfish. Stop communication.
- Inconsistent details: Say they're 35 but 1881 shows 52? Red flag.
- No digital presence: In 2026, having zero footprint is unusual.
- Pressing deadlines: "We need to do this now" is classic scam tactics.
When should you get professional help?
You can get far on your own, but there are situations where a professional check is worth it:
- You're entering an agreement with significant risk (rental, investment, partnership)
- Something feels off, but you can't pinpoint what
- You need documentation (report with sources)
- You want to know more than public sources show
Unsure about someone? Order a person verification and get answers within 24 hours. Discreet, legal and GDPR compliant.