All About Catfish Scams After Netflix's New Eye-Opening Documentary 'Sweet Bobby'

Catfish Scams: In catfishing scenarios, individuals typically aim to form romantic connections, build friendships or sometimes even scam their victims for money.

Netflix's new documentary Sweet Bobby: My Catfish Nightmareis a story of a London radio presenter deceived by her own cousin in a catfish scam lasting nearly a decade. Kirat Assi believed she was in a real relationship with “Bobby,” a supposed cardiologist, while Simran, her cousin, hid behind this fake identity. As Ms Assi navigated her feelings and the emotional connection she thought she had, she was unaware that her entire relationship was built on lies.

So, what exactly is a catfish scam?

A catfish scam involves someone creating a false identity online to deceive another person, often for romantic or financial gain. The term “catfish” became widely known after the 2010 documentary of the same name, and subsequent MTV series that explored similar cases of online deception.