Somebody, anybody, can you explain 'cat fishing' to me like I'm a 10 yr old?
Please? it seems so meaningless, and trite, and pointless...why would someone commit to it and what are the damages done by being catfished? Thank you.
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AngelJade · 22-25, F
It really depends on intent...most the time, it is used to scam people out of something, get them to give money or gift cards. As ironically, simply pretending to be someone your not in itself is not usually a crime but most the time there is intent to commit fraud in doing so, which is where it becomes a crime.
Comment example is, I'm the prince of Nigeria, can you hold this money for me...of course they aren't really.
Definitely a crime if someone pretends to be under age to do illegal things with minors.
As far as I'm concerned, NO ONE online is who they say they are...including me, cause I don't want to not be a victim of any type of identity theft. My basically personality is who I am but people who know me online and in person, know I'm not the same.
I suspect people do it because their own lives suck and they hate their lives and they can't get anyone to talk to them otherwise. I find it is usually easy enough to spot cause those losers use pics of famous people that are easy enough to reverse search.
I have had people cat fish me, then take money and I get some random guy wanting the money back and like no I don't know you leave me alone, I have never talked to you before.
Go ahead and report me because it wasn't me.
It is annoying for sure, but at least its not total identity theft like some illegals do to get jobs and things (I have a cousin who does that.) Or using someone else's personal information from a hack to get loans, credit cards, etc... that is 100% identity theft...and a major crime.
To a some degree, everyone is a catfish in that they hide their true identity online for security purposes. Some guys even say heavy make up is the same as a catfish, pics of someone with lots of make up, or filters on photo's to change how they appear are too.
I've been accused of being a catfish cause my normal look, vs. dressed up look are different.
Basically without any fraud intent or things like that, it is simply pretending to be someone they are not.
Then there is the other historical type, where you actually go fishing for catfish using a pole and all that and then after hours of trying, you catch a trout.
Comment example is, I'm the prince of Nigeria, can you hold this money for me...of course they aren't really.
Definitely a crime if someone pretends to be under age to do illegal things with minors.
As far as I'm concerned, NO ONE online is who they say they are...including me, cause I don't want to not be a victim of any type of identity theft. My basically personality is who I am but people who know me online and in person, know I'm not the same.
I suspect people do it because their own lives suck and they hate their lives and they can't get anyone to talk to them otherwise. I find it is usually easy enough to spot cause those losers use pics of famous people that are easy enough to reverse search.
I have had people cat fish me, then take money and I get some random guy wanting the money back and like no I don't know you leave me alone, I have never talked to you before.
Go ahead and report me because it wasn't me.
It is annoying for sure, but at least its not total identity theft like some illegals do to get jobs and things (I have a cousin who does that.) Or using someone else's personal information from a hack to get loans, credit cards, etc... that is 100% identity theft...and a major crime.
To a some degree, everyone is a catfish in that they hide their true identity online for security purposes. Some guys even say heavy make up is the same as a catfish, pics of someone with lots of make up, or filters on photo's to change how they appear are too.
I've been accused of being a catfish cause my normal look, vs. dressed up look are different.
Basically without any fraud intent or things like that, it is simply pretending to be someone they are not.
Then there is the other historical type, where you actually go fishing for catfish using a pole and all that and then after hours of trying, you catch a trout.