Is catfishing illegal? When it becomes a crime
In the US, pretending to be someone else online isn’t a crime on its own. Catfishing becomes illegal when it’s used to get money, to impersonate a real person to harm or defraud someone, or to threaten, harass or blackmail. Most catfish also break the platform’s rules, so their profile can be taken down either way.
Is catfishing a crime?
No single US law makes catfishing a crime. Using a fake name, an old photo or someone else’s pictures on a dating app is dishonest and against almost every platform’s rules, but on its own it usually isn’t something the police can charge.
What matters is what the catfish does with the fake identity. The same profile can be a rules violation one week and a crime the next, the moment it’s used to take money or to frighten someone.
When catfishing becomes illegal
- Fraud: asking for money, gift cards, crypto or bank details under a false identity. This is how most romance scams are charged, often as wire fraud under federal law.
- Impersonating a real person: several states make it a crime to pose online as an actual person to harm, defraud, intimidate or threaten someone.
- Threats, harassment or stalking: using a fake account to frighten, follow or keep contacting someone who said stop.
- Blackmail and extortion: threatening to share photos or messages unless the victim pays or sends more.
- Identity theft: using someone else’s name, birthday or documents to open accounts or borrow money.
Online impersonation laws in California, Texas and New York
- California (Penal Code § 528.5): credibly impersonating a real person online, without consent, to harm, intimidate, threaten or defraud is punishable by a fine of up to $1,000, up to a year in county jail, or both.
- Texas (Penal Code § 33.07): using another person’s name or persona to create a profile or post messages, without consent and with intent to harm, defraud, intimidate or threaten, is a third-degree felony.
- New York (Penal Law § 190.25): impersonating someone by internet or electronic means to get a benefit, injure or defraud is criminal impersonation, a class A misdemeanor.
Other states have similar laws, and every state has fraud and harassment laws. They change and they depend on the facts, so this guide is general information, not legal advice.
Can you sue someone for catfishing you?
Sometimes. Victims have brought civil claims such as fraud or intentional infliction of emotional distress, but you need to know who the catfish really is, and a lot of romance scammers are overseas and hard to reach.
If you lost a large amount or someone is impersonating you, a local lawyer can tell you whether a claim is realistic. Many offer a short first consultation.
What to do if you’ve been catfished
- Stop sending money, photos or personal details, even if they promise it’s the last time.
- Save evidence: screenshots of the profile, the chat, usernames, phone numbers and any payment receipts.
- Check where their photos come from. A match under another name shows the pictures are stolen.
- Report the profile on the app or site where you met. Fake profiles break their rules even when no law applies.
- If you lost money, call your bank or payment app first, then report it at reportfraud.ftc.gov and ic3.gov.
- If they threaten you or won’t stop contacting you, contact your local police and keep everything they send.
If someone is catfishing with your photos
If your face is on a profile you didn’t make, report it as impersonation: every major platform has a form for it, and you don’t need to prove a crime. The fake Facebook profile guide walks through it.
To see where else your photos are being used, search your own face. If the fake account is used to scam people or to threaten you, the state laws above may also apply.