What does "catfishing" mean?

The practice of creating a fake profile on a social media platform in order to deceive people.

What is a synonym for "catfishing"?

Common synonyms include: siluriform fish, catfishes, cory, deceive, deceiver, fish.

noun, verb

noun, verb ·Rare ·Advanced level

Noun

1
The practice of creating a fake profile on a social media platform in order to deceive people. Internet, uncountable, usually
"For the most part, catfishing is not against the law, said Bradley Shear, a Washington-based lawyer who has examined legal issues related to social media."

Verb

1
present participle and gerund of catfish (“to fish for catfish”) form-of, gerund, participle, present
2
present participle and gerund of catfish (“to create and operate a fake online profile”) form-of, gerund, participle, present

"The scientists were shocked to discover the AI they had developed was capable of successfully catfishing people."