Ever met up with someone whom you've had an "online thing" with, and when meeting in person they looked nothing like their online photos?

I’ve done online dating several times over the last 6–7 years. I met in person 3 people, and they were basically exactly as their online pictures portrayed (I’m dating one of them for 2 years next month). Though this isn’t exactly the same as what you’re describing.

I met my girlfriend online. We spoke online for about 2 years or so before finally meeting.

She had sent me photos, and I had sent her photos. Before I left to the UK to meet her, we spent 3 or 4 months talking on cam every day over skype and msn.

However, when we met up she did not look quite like she looked in photos and cam. She did not send fake photos, or use filters or anything like that, it was just her on cam. I think it has something to do with the brain, making a transition from 2D to 3D.

She told me I did not look the same as I did on cam or in photos too, and I know I did not do anything to alter my photos or cam feed either. So I am quite sure, there is something going on in the mind. You get so much more detail in real life.

No unpleasant surprises though, she looked even better in person than on cam.

Are you talkin’ about me? :)

Nah, you’re just as pretty as you are in your online photos. This show (Cat Fish) was shown on Good Morning America. In one episode, a woman pretended to be a guy for four years. She (pretending to be a dude) had an online thing with a woman and they finally met. Didn’t go down well.

Way back in like 1998, I traveled a few hundred miles to meet a woman I had originally met in an AOL chat room. I stayed at her house for the weekend, and despite having a nice time with her, once I went back home things quickly fizzled. The distance as well as problems with communication styles inevitably took their toll.

Looking back, I was very lucky that she hadn’t misrepresented herself. Imagine getting off that Amtrak hundreds of miles away from home, only to be confronted by a dude, or a woman who was 40 years older than you thought she was, or worse. <shivers>

I met someone once. I’d seen her on video. I’d seen plenty of pictures. But damn! The first thing I thought when I saw her in real life is how the fuck did she gain so much weight in the last two weeks? I still go back to look at those photos to try to figure it out sometimes. Because she looks a lot skinnier on photo than she did in real life. Weird.

C is addicted to that show.

I haven’t watched a full episode. Just clips. Fascinating, though. Luckily, Nikki and I met after a week of talking to each other on the phone. And, there were no surprises.

I love Catfish! I was going to mention it upon reading your question, before I saw that you already had. Very interesting premise for a show, and I’m enjoying it a lot so far.

I met my husband online, though we did not start a “thing” online – it was just casual talking that escalated after we met. He looked like he did in the pictures – better, actually. I was lucky I guess.