‘Love is a powerful force and in our pursuit of it we are easily blinded’: Examining negative consequences experienced by catfishing fraud victims

Abstract

Victimization in the digital space is becoming increasingly common. Hiding your true identity behind a computer screen has become a way to manipulate and target vulnerable people searching for friends or companionship on the Internet. The current study sought to understand the negative consequences experienced by victims of catfishing (i.e., the creation of a partially fake or completely fake profile using a social media platform or dating site to deceive another person), building on the narrow literature focusing on those who have been victimized by someone misrepresenting themselves online. Self-report survey data are used to identify and analyze the consequences experienced by catfish victims. Findings suggest those who have been victims of catfishing experience similar negative consequences experienced by victims of other forms of crime, both online and offline. Implications for policy and future research are discussed.