Catfishing means creating a fake online identity by using someone else's information and photos to deceive others, often to form false relationships or commit fraud. The person doing this, called a catfisher, may pretend to be more attractive, have different personal details, or fabricate an entire persona to lure targets, especially in online dating or social media contexts

. The motivations behind catfishing include low self-esteem, financial gain, cyberbullying, revenge, or exploring identity anonymously. Catfishers often avoid meeting in person or video chatting and may ask for money or personal information to exploit their victims

. Catfishing can lead to emotional harm, financial loss, and sometimes dangerous situations. If you suspect catfishing, it is advised to stop all contact, block the catfisher, and report them to authorities if fraud is involved

. In summary, to catfish someone means to trick them by pretending to be someone else online, usually with deceptive intentions