Laslo Goldanger's Page

The Internet has made it possible to meet the love of your life. In fact, it’s more common than you think, with 1 in 5 relationships now beginning with an online encounter. Unfortunately, the Internet has also made it possible to meet someone who can ruin your life in the worst ways possible.

We’re talking about catfishing, the process of creating a fake online identity to build an oftentimes romantic relationship and con someone out of money.

Surprising Catfish Statistics That’ll Stop You in Your Tracks

dotbig Predators don’t seem to think so. According to a recent study, 43% of men report they’ve been catfished, with 28% of women admitting to being a victim. That’s not surprising considering that cybersecurity experts estimate that one in 10 social media profiles are fake.

The same survey discovered that victims were most commonly tricked into sending money or sexually explicit photographs. But perhaps the most surprising tidbit to come out of the survey was that some victims report being catfished more than once.

So, is catfishing a crime? While the act of catfishing online isn’t illegal (it’s not against the law to lie to someone), the acts performed while catfishing can in fact be criminal.