Catfishing is a term used to describe a phenomenon found on social media; however, the same concept has been around for centuries. The internet has made catfishing easier with lower risk.
Catfishing can be a variation on bait-and-switch.
Catfishing is a spectrum of deceptive practices that may include:
(1) retouching or redoing a photograph to make the person look younger or more attractive
(2) writing a self-description that makes the person seem more interesting than s/he actually is
(3) creating one or more fictional personas
(4) any other misrepresentation or misleading content
The goal may vary:
(1) ego boosting
(2) attempting to get more dates
(3) attempting to get a position
(4) criminal intent
(5) to conceal identify
(6) harassing, stalking or bullying of a victim
The motivation may range from simple to complex.
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