catfishing

[/ˈkætfɪʃɪŋ/]
noun
enganação online, golpe de identidade falsa em redes sociais
1. The practice of luring someone into an emotional or romantic relationship by assuming a false identity online, typically on social media or dating platforms
She discovered he was catfishing her when she realized his photos were stolen from another person's profile.
Ela descobriu que ele estava fazendo enganação online quando percebeu que suas fotos eram roubadas do perfil de outra pessoa.
2. The act of creating a deceptive online persona to manipulate, scam, or emotionally exploit another person
Catfishing has become a serious problem on dating apps where scammers target vulnerable individuals.
A enganação online se tornou um problema sério em aplicativos de namoro onde golpistas visam indivíduos vulneráveis.
Catfishing originated as a term in American internet culture and became widely recognized after the 2010 documentary 'Catfish.' In Brazil, the practice is increasingly discussed in media and social awareness campaigns, particularly regarding online dating safety. The term is now commonly used in Portuguese-speaking communities when discussing online fraud and deception on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and dating apps.
NYC Slang
catfishin', playing games, running a game on someone
Synonyms / Sinônimos
scammingimpersonationidentity fraudromance scamdeception
Antonyms / Antônimos
authenticityhonestytransparency

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
enganação online, golpe de identidade falsa
Most common translation used across Brazil
Rio de Janeiro
papo furado na internet
More colloquial, informal usage
São Paulo
fraude de identidade em redes sociais
More formal, business-oriented usage
Portugal
criação de perfil falso para enganar
Less commonly used term, often described with full explanation

Related Words

catfishfake profileromance scamonline deceptionsocial engineering

Related Idioms & Phrases

to catch someone catfishing
to get catfished
catfishing game
falling for a catfish
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