As well as the emotional devastation that someone who has been catfished can potentially go through, they can also face embarrassment and regret for believing and falling for a completely non-existent person. Financial loss and mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression can all come about because of catfishing.

Why is someone trying to catfish me?

The term, made popular by the 2010 documentary Catfish, can be applied to people with any number of reasons for creating false profiles. Some catfishing may be no more than an attempt from a lonely person to find things they are missing in real life: romance, excitement, an emotional thrill.

Is catfishing okay?

It is undeniable that in extreme cases catfishing can be dangerous and have negative consequences for both the person pretending to be someone else and the victims of their deception.

Is having a false identity illegal?

California Penal Code 470b PC makes it a crime to possess or display a fake ID for the purpose of deceiving or defrauding another person. This offense is a wobbler, meaning prosecutors have the discretion to charge it as a misdemeanor or a felony. The maximum sentence is up to 3 years in jail or prison.