‘Catfishes: How do they reel us in?’ Exploring adolescent vulnerabilities to online grooming

Abstract

The practice of adopting a fake online persona (‘catfishing’) is commonly adopted by cyber criminals to facilitate contact with -victims, yet there is a dearth of research exploring what makes an individual vulnerable to being catfished. This study explored the risk factors and vulnerability of young people to catfishing. 42 participants aged 13–17 completed an online questionnaire exploring problematic internet use, self-esteem, social isolation, parental involvement and online safety awareness, and The Catfish Test. Participants were asked to identify each profile as real or fake. The results of the study are discussed alongside implications for practice.