Subtitle: Oh, this is another classic piece of internet fear-mongering! The “run away” headline is designed to trigger our primal instincts, but the reality of the three-dot tattoo is actually much more nuanced—and far less scary—than the clickbait would have you believe.

Let me tell you about the first time I heard this phrase. A friend of mine had a small three-dot tattoo on his wrist. I didn’t think much of it. It was subtle and meaningful. But then I saw a post online claiming that a three-dot tattoo was a “gang sign” and that you should “run as far as you can” if you see one.

It seemed so dramatic. Was that true? Were all three-dot tattoos a sign of danger?

I decided to do some research. And I was amazed by what I found.