How to stay safe in the sea of online deception...by GS Kaler 

Chandigarh: Catfishing is a kind of social engineering scam and it refers to the deceptive practice of creating or stealing an identity to exploit others. This involves fabricating a false persona online, often using stolen or altered photos, to engage in misleading interactions to deceive others, often for malicious purposes like financial exploitation. It encompasses various tactics, from using fake profiles to misappropriating real individuals' identities. 

A catfish is someone who pretends to be someone else online, and distinguishing between a catfish and a genuine person isn't always straightforward. Catfishing involves fabricating a false identity online to entice individuals into relationships, often romantic. In essence, individuals masquerade as someone else online to engage others in virtual romance. 

For example, predators may pose as teenagers to establish connections with tweens and teens, coaxing them to divulge personal details for later exploitation in online grooming scenarios. Such encounters pose grave risks, potentially leading to assault or abduction.

The idea of "catfishing" became widely known after the release of the 2010 documentary "Catfish." Directed by Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman, the film documents Schulman's experience of developing an online relationship with a woman named Megan, only to uncover discrepancies in her identity. 

The term "catfish" was introduced in the film to depict those who fabricate false personas online to trick others. "Catfish" garnered significant attention for delving into the realm of online deceit and the intricacies of contemporary relationships in the digital era.

The term gained prominence through the MTV show "Catfish: The TV Show," shedding light on the deceitful practice, particularly in online dating. The act of catfishing carries significant and enduring repercussions for both perpetrators and victims. 

Examples of catfishing abound, such as Casey Donovan's memoir revealing a six-year fake relationship and the NBA scandal involving Chris Andersen. 

Manti Te'o, a former football standout, became entangled in an online relationship with Lennay Kekua. However, an investigation by the sports blog Deadspin revealed Kekua to be a fabricated persona by Te'o's acquaintance. This catfishing incident is explored in the Netflix documentary, "Untold: The Girlfriend Who Didn't Exist."

An online romance scam occurs when a criminal fabricates a fake romantic connection with a victim to deceive them into providing substantial amounts of money. Using stolen photos and a fictitious identity, the scammer creates a false persona on social media, dating sites, or apps. Through this fraudulent relationship, the scammer manipulates and builds intimacy with the victim, ultimately aiming to convince them to send money. Online romance scams may also manifest as "parasocial relationships" - these are asymmetrical connections where one party invests emotional energy, interest, and time, while the other, typically a persona, remains oblivious to the relationship. Parasocial relationships are prevalent in interactions with celebrities, organizations like sports teams, or television personalities.

What distinguishes catfishing from other scams is the depth of deception, often involving long-term relationships spanning years. While financial gain is a common motive, some cases involve psychological manipulation, known as social catfishing (deception in the absence of financial fraud.)

Catfishing itself isn't always against the law. 

Crafting a false online identity isn't inherently illegal. However, it can pave the way for unlawful actions. Catfishers might exploit their fake personas for scams, harassment, or identity theft, all of which are illegal in numerous jurisdictions.

Research shows catfishers tend to exhibit traits like psychopathy, sadism, and narcissism, with men being more likely perpetrators. Motivations range from loneliness, depression, anxiety, mental illness, poor self-esteem to identity exploration, driven by a desire for escape. Catfishers display callousness, egotism, lack of empathy, and a disturbing enjoyment of causing harm.

Here are six indicators of a potential catfishing scenario:

Initiation: If they initiate contact first, it's uncommon for the victim to have done so. Exercise caution and skepticism when interacting with individuals online, particularly if they initiate contact and their profiles or images appear overly idealized.

Too good to be true: The profile appears flawless, with attractive, wealthy, and educated traits aimed at drawing you in. Also, the social media profile of a catfisher is new and co

Love bombing: Expect excessive praise and declarations of affection, being overly friendly often accompanied by generic terms of endearment which saves the catfisher from remembering different names of their victims.

Avoidance of calls: Excuses abound for avoiding phone or video calls and in-person meetings. Catfishing manifests in various ways. Some individuals refrain from revealing their identity or meeting in person, while others openly share details to gain trust. If someone consistently rejects standard communication apps and insists on using specific software, exercise caution—it could be a potential ploy.

Odd communication: Look out for typos, delayed responses, disappearing acts or vague messaging, which may signal deception. The social media profiles of catfishers can provide vital clues. When getting to know someone, it's common to connect on social platforms. While some individuals may not use social media, if they share a profile that seems outdated, contains a large number of seemingly random connections, and lacks engagement on posts, it could indicate a fake account. The individuals engaging in catfishing tend to offer scant information about their past, and they also remain elusive regarding their future aspirations, family background, and current employment status.

Request for money: While not always the primary goal, combined with the aforementioned signs, soliciting money should raise alarms. Seek advice from trusted individuals before making decisions. Remember, consulting with close family members or friends outside the situation can provide valuable perspective.

Motives behind catfishing-

Individuals fabricate false profiles on social media or dating platforms for various motives:

Seeking connection while feeling insecure about their true selves, they opt for a fabricated persona to engage with others, finding it easier to make connections in this guise. Although encountering such deception may cause feelings of being misled, the harm is typically minimal.

Exploiting anonymity, some use fake profiles for harassment or cyberbullying. After gaining their victim's trust, they gather personal information to perpetrate bullying, and in extreme cases, blackmail or doxxing.

To stalk or surveil someone they know, individuals create fake profiles, sometimes to test partners or to interact with someone they've observed in real life but hesitated to approach.Scammers aim to extract money through deceptive means, employing tactics like fake ads or friendly interactions on social media or dating apps. Recognizing potential catfishing attempts is crucial, as anyone encountered online could be engaging in deceitful practices.

The dangers of catfishing are manifold:

Financial Loss: Falling for a catfishing scam often results in monetary loss, whether through fake dating sites or fabricated stories of emergencies abroad.Cyber Threats: Catfishers may install spyware or ransomware on your device, compromising sensitive data or demanding ransom payments.

Corporate Risk: If catfishing occurs on a work device, it can jeopardize the entire company network, leading to substantial financial losses.

Psychological Impact: Catfishing can inflict significant emotional harm, as victims often develop deep connections with the fabricated persona, leading to distress and trauma.

Physical Danger: In extreme cases, catfishing can escalate to real-life assault or even homicide, emphasizing the importance of recognizing and avoiding such scams, especially for vulnerable individuals like children.

Ways to protect yourself from catfish scams:

1. Exercise caution with new contacts: Verify the identity of new acquaintances before interacting, especially on social media or online platforms. Exercise caution if the individual tries to distance you from loved ones or asks for inappropriate images or financial details.
2. Watch for red flags: Signs of a potentially fake profile include blurry or recent profile photos, few friends or details, and incomplete facial images. Catfishers often exhibit inconsistencies in their stories. For example, they might assert attending a specific high school or university but show limited knowledge about the exact location of institution or its surroundings.
3. Stay alert to unusual behavior: Be wary of excessive messaging, rapid relationship progression, requests for personal information or money, and probing questions.
4. Request a video call: Consider video calls to confirm identities, and be cautious if excuses are made to avoid them. Ask them to meet you in person at a safe public place like restaurant. Trusting your instincts is typically the wisest approach in life's scenarios. If you sense something is amiss, it likely is.
5. Conduct a reverse image search: Use Google's reverse image search tool to check if profile photos appear elsewhere online. Generally, the catfishers use stolen or fake photos.
6. Be mindful of sharing personal information: Think twice before sharing sensitive details, particularly intimate content with people whom you have met online only, and seek advice from someone you trust in real life if unsure about a person or situation. Consider hiring a private investigator if you've been engaging with someone online for an extended period without any personal interaction. They can help uncover the truth behind the situation.
7. Modify your privacy settings - Catfishers often seek out potential targets, but by setting your social media accounts to 'private', you decrease the likelihood of being targeted by a catfisher as your profile information is not visible to everyone. Ensure the security of your online accounts by implementing two-factor authentication. Consider using a virtual private network (VPN) while browsing the internet to enhance privacy and make tracking your online activity more challenging.
8. Feel empowered to inquire - Despite any discomfort, don't hesitate to ask numerous questions until you feel secure and at ease in conversation. If someone is a catfish, their inability to provide accurate answers may signal a red flag, helping you recognize potential deception. A catfish often lacks the ability to provide authentic selfies. If they're unable to share additional photos beyond what's on their dating profile or social media page, it could be a sign of catfishing.

What to do if you've been catfished:

If you fear for your safety, contact the police immediately and notify law enforcement. Dealing with being catfished can be distressing, but there are steps you can take.

If your nudes have been shared without consent:

1. Inform friends or family about the situation and ask them to report any inappropriate content on social media platforms.
2. Capture screenshots of the content and note down the URLs. 
3. Report the unauthorized content to the platform hosting it (e.g., Facebook, Snapchat, PornHub).
4. Report the profile or account responsible for sharing the content to the platform administrators.
5. Finally, be cautious in your behaviour and block or stop all the communication with the catfisher at all social media platforms.

In essence, exercise extreme caution with online acquaintances, as you can never be certain of their true identity. Safeguard your online identity and refrain from readily divulging personal information. In conclusion, catfishing remains a prevalent and concerning issue in the realm of online interactions. As technology advances and social media platforms continue to proliferate, it becomes increasingly crucial for individuals to exercise caution and vigilance in their online relationships.

 By staying informed, trusting instincts, and adopting proactive measures such as adjusting privacy settings and verifying identities, users can better safeguard themselves against the deceptive tactics employed by catfishers. Ultimately, fostering a culture of skepticism and critical thinking can help mitigate the risks associated with catfishing, promoting safer and more authentic online interactions for all.

March 30, 2024