A catfish scam, also known as a "romance scam," is a deception where an individual creates a false online identity to lure someone into a romantic relationship. They use fabricated details, such as a fake name, age, location and even photographs, to create the appearance of a real person. The scammer uses this fake identity to establish a relationship with the victim, often over an extended period. Once the scammer has gained the victim's trust and emotions, they may ask for money or personal information under false pretenses. These scams are challenging to recognize and can result in emotional and financial harm to the victim.