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Catfishing -

Catfishing as a phenomenon is nothing new. For years Internet scammers have been taking advantage of vulnerable people by luring them into a fake relationship and then asking for money.

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Catfishing -

The practice of using stolen photos to create fake online dating profiles began in the early 2000s, and by 2012 it was a cultural phenomenon. Now thanks to COVID-19, catfishing is on the rise again.

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On the rise -

According to a study by SocialCatfish.com, the Better Business Bureau has seen a 40% increase in the number of people trying to recover money lost to catfishers in 2020.

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On the rise -

In fact, catfishing was already on the rise in 2019: according to the FBI’s Internet Crime Report, in 2019 there were 19,470 reported cases of catfishing. That’s 1,000 more than in 2018.

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Catfishing and COVID-19 -

In 2020, numbers continue to rise, and many believe it has a lot to do with the COVID-19 pandemic. Indeed, it is a sad truth that COVID-19 has provided a great opportunity for scammers.

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Loneliness -

One reason that COVID-19 has led to an increase in catfishing is that people are feeling more isolated and lonely. With everyone confined to their homes, feelings of loneliness are inevitable.

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Loneliness -

With people increasingly turning to those they meet online for comfort, catfishers have a bigger victim pool. According to SocialCatfish.com, a record 26.6 million people are using dating apps in 2020.

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Ready-made excuses -

The lockdown also provides scammers with a perfect excuse for why they cannot meet up with their victims in person. Previously their refusal to do this would be a red flag, but this is no longer the case.

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Ready-made excuses -

The pandemic also provides a ready-made excuse for why the scammer is asking for money. In these times it is all-too-believable that someone would need emergency cash for medical reasons.

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Working from home -

Scammers are also taking advantage of the fact that with everyone working from home, people have more time to chat online. Scammers may spend hours talking to victims to build up their trust.

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Hong Kong -

The increase in catfishing amid the COVID-19 pandemic is a very real problem. In Hong Kong, for example, in 2020 there was a 50% year-on-year increase in the number of cases reported from January to September.

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Hong Kong -

One victim is Hong Kong-based hospitality worker Yvonne, who spoke to the BBC about her experience. She was lured in by somebody claiming to be a British operation manager working on an oil drill.

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The scam -

The scammer struck up a relationship with Yvonne and promised to fly out and visit her, but he said that he needed some money for rig parts before he was able to do so.

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The scam -

Yvonne transferred the HK$40,000 (US$5,160) he asked for, thinking that would be it, but soon enough he asked for another transfer. This time he claimed it was for his daughter who needed surgery.

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The realization -

Realizing that the request was too far-fetched, Yvonne recognized at that point that she had fallen victim to a scam. Unfortunately this was not a one-off for her, and she no longer dates online.

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Other victims -

Another victim is nursing student Kaytlin, who on various occasions in 2020 has received messages from people claiming that she has communicated with them on dating apps that she doesn’t even use.

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Other victims -

Kaytlin has also had to deal with a different type of scam, in which a fake Facebook profile was created using a picture of her in her scrubs to persuade people to donate to an illegitimate charity.

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Other victims -

Speaking to NBC, Kaytlin said that falling victim to such scams made her feel “violated” and that she thought she knew how to keep things private online.

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Combating catfishing -

Realizing that catfishing is on the rise, certain social media platforms have introduced extra security measures to try and combat the problem.

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Tinder -

In January 2020, Tinder introduced a photo verification feature that requires users to share real-time photos that match a series of poses in order to have their account verified.

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Facebook -

Facebook also issued a warning about financially-motivated scams and emphasized that scammers usually pretend to be members of society who would be considered trustworthy, such as veterans.

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Facebook -

However, Facebook still has a lot of work to do when it comes to protecting its users from such fraudulent activity, as was confirmed by a spokesperson who said their technology must be improved.

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Advice -

In the meantime, there are certain rules that users of dating apps should follow in order to ensure their safety and avoid falling victim to one of these scams.

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Never transfer money -

The first and most important rule is never to transfer money to anyone you meet online. While you may meet someone online who makes a genuine request, this is very unlikely and you should never part ways with your money.

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Never give out personal information -

Another obvious but very important rule is never to give out your personal information to someone you met online. Scammers need very little information to commit identity theft and access your bank account.

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Take things slow -

It is also important to take things slow if you do decide to enter an online relationship. Often a signal that someone is scamming you is if they decide to rush things or get serious too quickly.

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Ask to see the person -

A good suggestion is to insist that the person you are talking to turn on their camera. If the person is genuine, they should have no problem with this. If they do have a problem, alarm bells should ring.

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Google alerts -

Another final suggestion comes from Robert Siciliano, CEO of a security firm in Boston. He suggests setting up Google alerts with different variations of your name, since fake profiles will often use your name but with a slight difference.

(BBC) (NBC) (AZ Big Media)

See also: Celebrities who have tried online dating.

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