Californians, according to a recent study, lead the nation in money lost to romance scams at nearly $200 million and report more of these crimes annually, making it the most “catfished” state in the country.
For those wondering what the word “catfish” means beyond the diverse group of ray-finned fish known for cat-like whiskers, the word has also become a stand-in for an online con that lures someone into a relationship, often romantic in nature, by using a fictional persona.
In order to find the most catfished cities in the United States, researchers at Emisil, used Google Keyword Planner, reporting from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as well as data from other sources, to rank states by the number of victims per 100,000 residents, the number of romance scams reported annually, the total amount of money lost to the scams and the number of catfishing related searches, such as “How do I know if I’m being catfished.”
While California has fewer catfishing victims than Alaska, which ranks number one at 11.9 victims per 100,000 residents, followed closely by Nevada with 11.2, residents of the Golden Stated reportedly lost $183,928,230 to the diabolical online con artists.
Utah and California are tied in the number of victims taken in by the scams at 7.7 per $100,000 residents, though the Beehive State’s losses only approach $8 million, according to the research.
California also ranks highest in the number of romance scams reported each year at 3,023.
Florida comes second in financial losses to catfishing scams at $70,483,554. It also has the third highest number of catfishing scams reported each year at 1,738, with Texas closing the gap at second at 1,752 scams reported yearly.
While Nevada has the second highest number of catfishing victims in the U.S., the study finds only some 352 of the scams are reported each year. However, it does rank third in financial losses at $15,095,654.
Researchers suggested a number of actions people can take to avoid being victims of a catfishing scheme, including a reverse image search on Google to see if a person’s photo appears elsewhere on the internet with a different name or details.
They also say it’s in a person’s interest to request a video call during these interactions as one way to confirm a person’s identity.
Additionally, the authors of the study say, “Avoid sharing sensitive personal information (address, financial details, etc.) with someone you’ve only met online. Use trusted dating and social platforms that offer additional verification features and remove fake profiles.”