What to Do If You Get Catfished, and Is Catfishing Illegal?

Here's what to do if you get catfished: stop replying, screenshot the profile and your conversations, and report the account to the app or site where you met. If you sent money, call your bank or payment app right away and report the scam to the FTC and the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center. Catfishing isn't automatically a crime, but fraud, impersonating a real person to cause harm, threats and extortion can be.

Finding out that the person you've been talking to doesn't exist can hurt, and many people feel embarrassed. You have nothing to be ashamed of: a catfish works hard to earn your trust, and the blame is theirs alone. At TrustCamera we build a camera app that can show a photo hasn't changed since it was taken. For this guide, we pulled together what the FTC, the FBI, state law and the platforms themselves say.

What to do if you get catfished: the steps at a glance

The right response depends on what the catfish did. If they took money, threatened you, kept harassing you or used your photos, law enforcement can get involved. Whatever happened, cut contact, save the evidence and report the profile to the platform, so the same fake identity can't be used on someone else.

1. Cut contact: Stop replying, and don't send money, photos or personal details, even if they plead, push or threaten.
2. Save the evidence: Screenshot the profile, your chats and any payments before you block them or the profile disappears.
3. Report the profile: Use the report feature in the dating app or social network.
4. Call your bank: If you sent money, contact your bank or payment app right away and ask them to reverse the payment.
5. File a report: Go to ReportFraud.ftc.gov, the FBI's IC3 or your local police, depending on what happened.
6. Get support: Talk to someone you trust, or reach out to a helpline.

Steps 1 to 3 apply in every case, even when no crime was committed. If you're not yet sure the person is fake, start with our guide on how to tell if someone is catfishing you.

What catfishing means, and when it turns into a scam

Catfishing means pretending to be someone else online to build trust or a relationship. A catfish might copy a real person, often with stolen photos, or invent an identity from scratch. Not every catfish is after money. Some mostly lie about their looks or age, while others use the fake identity to harass someone or to run a romance scam.

The FTC's guide to romance scams describes the money version. Scammers create fake profiles, can never meet in person and build trust through frequent contact before they ask for money, often for an emergency, travel costs or a supposed investment. They insist on payment methods that are hard to reverse, such as wire transfers, gift cards, payment apps or cryptocurrency. The FTC's advice is simple: never send money or gifts to a sweetheart you haven't met in person.

Between a flattering profile photo and a crime lies a wide gray zone. Where a case falls depends on what the catfish did with the fake identity, which brings us to the legal question.

Is catfishing illegal? What US law says

In the US, whether a catfish broke the law depends on what they did and where, because criminal laws differ from state to state. In our reading, simply using a fake name or flattering photos usually isn't enough on its own. It becomes a legal matter when it's combined with something else:

• Fraud: Tricking someone into sending money with a fake identity is what the FTC describes as a romance scam, and it's the kind of cyber-enabled fraud the FBI collects reports on.
• Impersonating a real person: Some states have specific laws. California Penal Code 528.5 makes it a crime to knowingly and credibly impersonate another actual person online without consent in order to harm, intimidate, threaten or defraud someone. That includes opening a social media profile in their name. The penalty is a fine of up to $1,000, up to a year in county jail, or both, and people harmed by it can also sue.
• Harassment and threats: If a catfish keeps contacting you after you've cut them off, threatens you or spreads your photos, stalking or harassment laws may come into play.
• Sextortion: Threats to share intimate images unless you pay or send more are a matter for law enforcement right away.
• Targeting minors: An adult who poses as a teen to lure someone under 18 into sexual activity can face serious federal charges. Report it to police and to the CyberTipline of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC).

This is general information, not legal advice. Whether a specific case is a crime is for police, prosecutors and courts to decide, so you don't need to know which law applies before you report. For questions about suing someone, talk to an attorney.

Save the evidence before the profile disappears

Fake profiles can vanish at any time, because the catfish deletes them or the platform takes them down. Save everything before you block or report. Take screenshots that show the date and time, and keep a copy off your phone, for example by emailing them to yourself.

• The profile: name, username, bio, every photo and, if possible, the link to the profile.
• Your conversations: the whole thread, including chats that moved to WhatsApp, Telegram, texts or email, with phone numbers and addresses.
• Media they sent: photos, videos and voice messages.
• Payments: bank statements, transfer receipts, gift card numbers or crypto transaction IDs.
• A timeline: when you met, when you paid and when contact ended.

Important: If any images show a minor in a sexual situation, don't save, screenshot or forward them, not even as evidence. Report them instead to NCMEC's CyberTipline at report.cybertip.org or 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678), and if you're under 18, tell a trusted adult.

Block the person only after everything is saved, and don't answer messages meant to win you back or pressure you. Many people want to confront the catfish. In our view, that rarely helps: you're unlikely to get a truthful answer, and the catfish learns you're onto them.

How to report a catfish on dating apps and social media

Even if you never go to the police, report the profile. The platform can take it down before it fools someone else. On Tinder, according to its Safety Center, you open the person's profile, tap the ellipses icon and select Report. After you've matched, you do the same from the message screen, using the ellipses or shield icon.

If they unmatched you and no longer appear on your message screen, you can still report them online. For anything that happened offline, Tinder asks you to write in with the exact name, age, bio and photos on the profile, and says screenshots are best.

On Bumble, the Block & Report button sits behind the three gray dots in the top right corner of your chat. For someone you haven't swiped on yet, scroll to the bottom of their profile and tap Hide & Report. You can report people you've unmatched with through Bumble's support team, and Bumble says it won't tell the person who reported them. For the tricks that are common on these apps, see our overview of dating app scams.

On Facebook, you report a profile that's pretending to be you or someone else by clicking Options below the cover photo and choosing Report profile, as the Facebook Help Center explains. You can also report impostors in Messenger, and you can report an impersonating profile even if you don't have a Facebook account. For Instagram, our guide shows how to report a fake Instagram account, including one that uses your photos.

Report a catfish to the FTC, the FBI or the police

Where you file depends on what happened. For a romance scam or other fraud, report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. If it happened online, you can also file a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), which the FBI runs as its central hub for reporting cyber-enabled crime. IC3 notes that any follow-up is up to the agency that receives your complaint and that IC3 itself won't contact you. Crimes against children don't go to IC3: they belong with NCMEC's CyberTipline.

Threats, stalking, extortion or a catfish who knows where you live are a matter for your local police. Call 911 if you're in immediate danger; otherwise call the non-emergency line or go to the station. Bring your screenshots, your timeline and any payment records, and ask for a report number. Your bank or the platform may ask for it later.

No one can promise that the catfish will be found. People who hide behind fake identities are hard to trace by design. In our view, reporting is still worth it: it documents your case, and it can help if the same person targets others. If you're under 18, bring in a trusted adult, such as a parent or a teacher.

What to do after being catfished if you sent money or personal information

If you sent money, act fast. The FTC's guide on what to do if you were scammed says to contact your bank, payment app, wire transfer company, gift card issuer or crypto exchange immediately and ask them to reverse the transaction. Don't send more, whatever the reason given.

Be wary of anyone who offers to recover your money for a fee: the FTC says government agencies and legitimate organizations never ask for money to help you get a refund. The steps for bank transfers, Zelle, payment apps and cards in our guide for people scammed on Facebook Marketplace apply here too, and our romance scam guide covers what to do if you already paid someone you met online.

If you gave the catfish your Social Security number, the FTC points you to IdentityTheft.gov. Where the number was misused, you can report it there and get a personal recovery plan. Not sure? The site also lists steps to protect yourself. If you shared a password, change it and turn on two-factor authentication. Mention anything you sent, such as a photo of your ID, in your police report.

If the person threatens you or demands money to keep intimate images private, stop responding and don't pay. Save the profile and the threats without deleting the chat, don't forward any intimate images, and contact law enforcement. Our guide on what to do about sextortion walks you through each step.

If someone used your photos to catfish others

Catfishing often has two victims: the person who is deceived and the person whose photos are stolen. If a friend tells you your face is on a stranger's profile, or you stumble on it yourself, work through these steps:

1. Search: Run a reverse image search to find where else your photos appear.
2. Save: Screenshot every fake profile and copy its link.
3. Report: Report it as impersonation, not just as a fake account, and choose the option that says someone is pretending to be you.
4. Warn: Let friends and followers know, for example with a short post, so nobody falls for the fake.
5. Consider the law: In states such as California, credible online impersonation can be a crime, and people harmed by it may be able to sue.

Having public photos doesn't make this your fault. Whoever took them is responsible for what they did with them.

Getting over being catfished: you're not to blame

Being catfished hurts, even when no money changed hands. You invested time, feelings and maybe secrets in a relationship that wasn't what it seemed. Anger, grief and distrust are understandable. Shame is exactly what scammers count on: people who stay quiet don't report and don't warn others.

Part of what to do if you get catfished is looking after yourself. Talk to a friend or family member about what happened. If it's weighing on you, the 988 Lifeline offers free, confidential support around the clock: call or text 988, or chat online. You don't have to be suicidal to reach out: the Lifeline lists relationships and loneliness among the issues it helps with. If you're in immediate danger, call 911.

Take your time before dating again. When you're ready, a few fixed checks can help you meet new people with more confidence.

Before your next match: checks that still work

A photo of someone holding a note with your name and today's date used to be a popular test. Current AI image generators can render legible text, though, so a photo like that no longer proves anything. A live video call where your match moves and reacts spontaneously tells you more. Faces can now be swapped in real time too, as our guide on how to spot a deepfake explains. Combine the call with other checks, like a reverse image search and a first date in a busy public place.

TrustCamera adds another piece. Ask your match to take a fresh photo in the TrustCamera app and send you the check code right away. Check the code as soon as it arrives, for free in your browser and without an account, and see that the file hasn't changed since it was taken. The check also shows the capture time and an approximate location accurate to about 10 km (roughly 6 miles), never the exact position. For now, the app isn't out yet: it's coming soon for Android and iOS.

The code doesn't show who is in the photo, whether that person really runs the profile, or whether the scene was staged. It doesn't replace a video call or your gut feeling. Keep in mind, too, that a check code reveals an approximate location, both for your match and for you if you send one yourself. Only share one if you're comfortable with that.

Frequently asked questions about getting catfished

Is catfishing illegal?

Not by itself in most cases. In our reading, there's no general US law against using a fake profile, but what a catfish does with it can be a crime. Taking money through lies can be fraud, and some states, including California, make it a crime to credibly impersonate a real person online to harm, threaten or defraud someone. Threats, stalking and sextortion can be crimes too.

Can a catfish get in trouble for catfishing?

Yes, depending on what they did. Asking for money under a fake identity, impersonating a real person to harm or defraud someone, harassing or threatening someone, or pressuring them for intimate images can lead to criminal charges or a lawsuit. Pretending to be someone else also breaks platform rules, and Facebook, for example, doesn't allow profiles that impersonate others.

Can you report a catfish to the police?

Yes. If the catfish threatened you, stalked you, extorted you or took your money, contact your local police, or call 911 in an emergency. For online fraud, you can also file a complaint with the FBI's IC3 and report the scam to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Bring screenshots, a timeline and any payment records.

What should I do if a catfish is using my photos?

Save the fake profile with a screenshot and link, then report it to the platform as impersonation, not just as a fake account. Run a reverse image search to see where else your photos appear, and warn your friends and followers. In some states, such as California, credible online impersonation can be a crime.

Can I get my money back after being catfished?

Sometimes, if you act quickly. Contact your bank, payment app, card issuer or gift card company right away and ask them to reverse the payment. Your chances depend heavily on how you paid. Don't pay anyone who promises to recover your money for an upfront fee, and report the loss to the FTC and IC3.

What to do if you get catfished and they threaten you?

Stop replying and don't pay or send anything. Save the chat and the profile without deleting anything, don't forward intimate images, and report the threats to your local police or the FBI's IC3. If you're under 18, tell a trusted adult right away. Reports involving minors go to NCMEC's CyberTipline. Our sextortion guide has the full steps.

Conclusion: what to do if you get catfished, in four moves

A fake profile on its own is usually a matter for the platform, not the police. Once money, threats, stalking or your own photos are involved, report it to the FTC, IC3 or your local police. Either way, the answer to what to do if you get catfished starts with the same four moves: cut contact, save the evidence, report the profile and get support.

Most of all, falling for a catfish doesn't mean you did anything wrong. Talk about what happened, take care of yourself and give yourself time before the next match. A video call, a reverse image search and a healthy dose of skepticism protect you better than any profile photo.