Overview
The scammer creates a fictitious online profile or persona in furtherance of the scam. The fake online identity could be used in two ways:
(a) to assist the scammer with direct victim interactions (e.g. creating a persona designed to manipulate, exploit, or steal from the victim more effectively), or
(b) to allow the scammer to conceal their identity (e.g. remaining hidden from a social media platform or hidden from law enforcement).
Traditionally, catfishing refers to interactions of type (a), particularly with a romantic bent, such as a man creating a woman's persona in order to launch a romance scam. However, some scams with no romantic angle may also use catfishing techniques (see Online Marketplace Scam Buyers and Fake Recruiter Scam).