Catfishing is creating a fake online identity to deceive others, typically for romantic or financial gain. The term comes from the 2010 documentary Catfish, which exposed this behavior.
Catfishers create profiles on social media or dating apps using stolen photos and fabricated details. They build relationships with victims, often over months, before asking for money or personal information. According to the FBI, romance scams cost victims $1.3 billion in 2022.
| Type | Motivation | Common Platforms |
|---|---|---|
| Romantic catfishing | Financial gain | Dating apps, Facebook |
| Business catfishing | Fraudulent transactions | LinkedIn, email |
| Revenge catfishing | Emotional harm | Instagram, Snapchat |
Most catfishers seek financial gain, but some do it for attention, loneliness, or revenge. A study by Psychology Today found that many catfishers have low self-esteem and use fake identities to escape their real lives.
Look for inconsistencies in their stories, reluctance to video chat, and overly perfect profiles. I once suspected a match on a dating app was catfishing me when they avoided calls and made excuses about their webcam not working. After some research, I found their photos were stolen from a model's Instagram account.
For more on online deception, see our guide on what does being attached to someone mean and how to recognize unhealthy relationships. If you suspect you're being catfished, report the profile to the platform and consider contacting local authorities.