Catfishing is a deceptive activity in which a person creates a fictional persona or fake identity on a social networking service, usually targeting a specific victim. The term "catfishing" refers to the act of creating a false identity to lure people into relationships, whether friendships or romantic connections, online. The person who is catfishing uses another persons photos and life facts to make them appear as a real person, often without the knowledge of the person whose identity was used to create the fake relationship online.

Catfishing can be used to attract a victim for various reasons, such as to gain their trust for the sake of defrauding them, to ruin someones reputation, or to engage in cyberbullying. Some catfishing may be no more than an attempt from a lonely person to find things they are missing in real life, such as romance, excitement, or an emotional thrill.

It is important to be able to identify warning signs of catfishing to protect oneself against these online imposters. Some of the signs that someone may be catfishing include:

• The person refuses to meet up with you, either in person or via video or voice call.
• The person uses a profile picture they stole from someone else to appear more attractive.
• The person falsifies professions, locations, and likes and dislikes.
• The person engages in over-the-top behavior, such as telling you they love you after just meeting you online.
• The person asks for personal information, like your full name, address, date of birth, or bank details.
• The person avoids showing you their face.
• There are inconsistencies in the persons stories, and if something doesnt make sense, ask about it.

If you suspect that you are being catfished, it is recommended to discontinue all association with the catfisher, block them on your social media accounts, and report them. It is also important to stop all payments you may have made to them and contact the authorities if you are being defrauded of money or property.