Catfishing is the act of creating a false identity online to lure people into relationships, whether friendships or romantic connections, usually for personal gain. In the context of dating, a catfish is someone who sets up a fake online profile to trick people who are looking for love, usually to get money out of them. They may use fake photos and a false persona to find friends or romantic partners on the internet. Some reasons why someone may choose to catfish include poor self-esteem, depression or anxiety, to hide their identity, targeted revenge, targeted harassment, or to explore their sexuality.

To avoid being catfished, it is important to watch out for certain behaviors, such as someone asking for personal information like your full name, address, date of birth, or bank details, avoiding showing their face, inconsistencies in their stories, and having few social media friends or interactions. Catfish also avoid meeting up in person and may come up with excuses for why they cant meet or avoid the topic altogether.

In summary, a catfish in dating is someone who creates a fake online profile to trick people who are looking for love, usually to get money out of them. It is important to be aware of the signs of catfishing to avoid falling victim to this type of scam.