Almost a quarter of Brits aged from 18 to 50 have fallen victim to catfishing at some point in their life
The dating game can be daunting, especially as so many people meet online these days. And today’s world of dating sites and apps can require some careful navigating, particularly when it comes to catfishing.
Catfishing is when someone lures you into a relationship by using a fictional online persona, and this can range from someone claiming they’re a few inches taller than they really are, to lying about their financial standing, profession or single status. Basically, if your match isn’t who they say they are, however great or small it may seem, then you’re not just being lied to, you’re being catfished.
With 22% of 18- to 50-year-olds reported to have fallen victim to catfishing during their lifetime, it’s now one of the main risks and concerns associated with online dating. Woman’s Own investigates…
‘It’s not your fault’
Single mum-of-one Anna Rowe, 50, set up a support platform for victims of catfishing after she found herself lured into a 14-month relationship by a married man on Tinder in August 2015. She says:
‘Being involved with a catfish can have a really heavy impact on mental health. The emotional manipulations you go through are really powerful. You not only lose faith in others, you also lose trust in yourself to be able to spot these individuals.
Sadly, on many occasions, catfishers are the vehicle to financial romance fraud, which adds another layer of trauma. Victims need to be kind to themselves, find comfort with others who understand what they’ve been through and know it wasn’t their fault.’
✣ For support and advice visit catchthecatfish.com and lovesaid.org
‘I found out he had a wife’
Amy Nickell-Turner, 33, lives in Berkhamsted with her husband Jonathan, 43, and her nine-year-old son Freddy.
Before meeting my husband three years ago, I was a prolific online dater, dedicated to endlessly swiping until I found the one. A mission that took far, far longer than I ever planned. I did eventually find what I was looking for, but not without amounting my fair share of horror stories.
Of course, there were the obvious things I think every woman worth her dating salt endures. Men using pictures from a previous decade, men claiming to be 6ft while we tower over them in o
