Catfishing or Romance Fraud

Catfishing refers to when a person takes information and images, typically from other people, and uses them to create a new identity for themselves. Some catfishing may be no more than an attempt from a lonely person to find things they are missing in real life: romance, excitement, and an emotional thrill.

The catfisher uses this identity to trick other people into associating with them. In some cases, a single person is targeted for a catfishing attack. In these instances, a catfisher may develop an identity that they feel will appeal to their catfishing target. Catfishing has been common in online dating forums and websites. Catfisher can hide any or all of their true identity without being questioned, people would often fake certain aspects of their profile to attract their targets. This often includes using a profile picture they stole from someone else to appear more attractive. The catfish meaning also often includes falsifying professions, locations, and likes and dislikes. When someone only fakes a few or relatively insignificant elements of their identity, it is referred to as kitten fishing

Why Is It Called Catfishing? The practice of catfishing online has been around for many years, simply because it is so easy to falsify your identity on the internet. The term “catfish” became popular after a documentary called Catfish was released in 2010. Afterward, MTV launched a TV series called “Catfish” in 2012. Catfishing is therefore a form of cyberbullying because the target is harmed as the catfisher plays games with their mind. Cyberbullying involves repeated attempts to embarrass, humiliate, or harm someone using online resources 

People catch catfish for a number of reasons. Some do not involve hateful intent, while others directly seek to harm specific people. Some of the primary reasons behind catfishing include:

1.       Insecurity

2.       Concealing their identity

3.       Mental illness

4.       Revenge

5.       Experimenting with sexual preferences

6.       To harass their target

How To Tell If You're Being Catfished

Block the catfish on your social media accounts (and in the future only accept 'friends' you know). Block 'friends' you met through them too. Block them on your mobile. Change your email address, and be very careful about who you share it with.