Catfishing originated as a term for the process of luring people into false relationships that has become increasingly prevalent with the rise of social media. By creating fake profiles on social networking sites, these predators trick people into thinking that they are someone else entirely. The fabricated life stories and photographs that they cobble together online often contain the experiences, friends, resumes and job titles that they wish were their own. Social media and dating accounts offer a window into the life these scammers want the world to see, but the real people behind the facade are often totally different. Published in Daily Times, February 18th 2019.