Catfishing involves someone or a team of people who create a fake online-profile that lures people into personal or business relationships. These fishermen seek specific people who could be described as lonely maybe unconfident, or who are kind but naive, or who are trusting and believe nobody would willingly harm them.

Catfishing happens for various reasons: boredom, low confidence, or exploration of sexual feelings. But reasons can be dark. The perpetrator may seek to steal money, exploit personal data, attempt revenge, or they maybe a sociopathic stalker. Either way, these people have two swindling goals.
1. Gain someone’s trust.
2. Use that trust to rob people of time, money, innocence, reputation and the like.

If the unsuspecting person discovers they’ve been duped, their emotions usually change from loving kindness to heartbroken, dejected, confused, anger, guilt, revengefulness, bewilderment, and/or shame. Ultimately this legal mental, emotional, and financial violence can break one’s trust in humanity.

However Avvo.com says it may become a crime if the deceiving person does any of the following:

• Intentionally inflicts emotional distress on another person
• Infringes upon another person’s intellectual property by using their images to impersonate them
• Defames the character of the person they’re impersonating 
• Uses their online persona to get goods or money from others 
• Gains unauthorized access to a system or network
• Commits identity theft and uses another person’s financial information 
• Solicits minors or involves minors in illegal activities

To protect yourself or a loved one from getting hooked, consider these seven tips:

1. Know the signs
   Catfishers may not have a lot of followers or friends. They don’t like to make voice or video calls. They usually avoid in-person meet-ups. At times they don’t share the same primary language. Those who want to exchange sext (explicit images) will use those images to blackmail the victim. Catfishers quickly reel-in people by saying they feel serious emotions toward their victim, yet they might disappear for a few weeks. That’s a tactic to make the victim yearn for that connection. Often, they ask for money. 

2. Be suspicious of those you don’t know
   Yes it’s nice to interact with new people and make friends, but think twice before befriending someone you or your friends don’t know, and if their profile is too beautiful, colorful, cool, accomplished.

3. Do a background check
   Research if your new friend’s profile aligns with their other internet profiles. Two research tools include Checkmate (they charge a fee) or Google. If profiles don’t align, swim away.

4. Never share your personal information
   Let’s say you’re walking home in the dark and a person approaches you. They say hello. They have a nice smile. You find them kind. If asked, you might give them money for a bus ticket, but chances are good that you wouldn’t give them $500 or $5,000. Just like you wouldn’t share your address, bank account password, credit card or social security number. it’s equally important to never share those details with someone you meet online.

5. Ask questions that require specific knowledge
   Let’s say your profile shows you living near Disneyland. Someone who wants to be your online friend says they live near you  Ask them questions about a restaurant, a store, or a local landmark. If they can’t answer those questions, they’re Catfishing. Cut the line and let them go.

6. Use reverse image search to identify fake profile photos. This allows you to confirm if a profile’s photo is authentic and if it’s similar to their other images. This link shows you how to image search: https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=how+to+reverse+image+search&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8#kpvalbx=_Rkw_YoSXIougkPIPs42KYA14

7. If your gut tells you something is wrong, listen and honor that feeling.
   

• Source: https://stories.avvo.com/uncategorized/can-sue-someone-catfishing.html