A catfish is someone who assumes a false identity in order to pursue an online relationship. The term comes from the 2010 film about a man who believes he is in a relationship with a young woman but discovers he is being hoaxed. A catfish may have many attractive pictures on their profile and accounts on popular social networking and deating sites. They aim to start an online relationship with someone that can be very intense and seem very personal, and in some cases can lead to identity theft, fraud and other scams.
