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When you are talking about "catfishing" in this part of the world, you need to be clear.  Are you referring to the sport of catching delicious bottom-feeding fish that populate the many bodies of water in the South, or are you thinking of the deceptive practice of using the picture of a very attractive person on your online dating profile instead of your own to up your chances of finding a "match'?

In this article, we will discuss the latter and more devious of the above choices.  Particularly when it comes to the states where this deception is practiced the most.  According to new data from the Social Catfish (a website dedicated to uncovering dating scams), catfishing and other dating app scams rose a whopping 50% during the pandemic.

The Most Catfished States in the Country

The five states that are the most targeted by dishonest daters are: #1 California, #2 Texas, #3 Florida, #4 Michigan, and #5 New York.  Experts have calculated the cost of these scams based on data from the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center and the Federal Trade Commission, and it is in excess of $304 million!  According to the numbers, the Lone Star State alone reported 1,602 victims, for a loss of $42.1 million!

"I Think I'm Being Catfished!  What Do I Do?"

So, how do you avoid being catfished or otherwise scammed by someone through a dating app?  Luckily, several tools have emerged to help you find out who you are really talking to - including this reverse image search tool provided by Social Catfish!

Good luck!