What to do if you had been a victim of catfishing!
By Yair Cohen, Solicitor specialising in internet law at Cohen Davis Solicitors. Last reviewed 17 May 2026.
The short answer: catfishing isn't itself a separate criminal offence in the UK, but it usually breaks several other laws – fraud, harassment, malicious communications and data protection. Whether your case is prosecuted criminally or pursued in the civil courts depends on the specific facts. This article explains your options.
Yair Cohen on GB News on the Sweet Bobby case and the realities of online catfishing in the UK.
Our lawyers have prosecuted some of the most complex catfishing cases in the UK and our clients have received substantial damages awards for the pain and suffering they have experienced at the hands of the catfish.
Can you take someone to court for catfishing
What to do if you've been catfished
The Sweet Bobby case – a worked example
Frequently asked questions about catfishing
What is catfishing
Catfishing is a form of internet fraud. Catfishing happens when someone uses images and information, or a borrowed ID of another person to create a new identity online that is used to manipulated unsuspected victims – sometimes using an individual’s entire identity as their own.
Why is it called catfishing
A catfish, is a predator fish that scuttles along the bottom of the ocean feeding on smaller and more vulnerable fish. A human catfish will use another person’s online identity to create a fake account and will then try to form relationships online, over social media websites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Snapchat. The victim believes that they are communicating with the person whose identity the catfish has stolen. Often the catfish would deceive their victim of catfishing into an online romance or an intimate relationship causing the victim to expose their vulnerabilities to the catfish.
Is catfishing illegal
Currently internet catfishing is not a specific criminal offence in the UK although there are indications that it might become a criminal offence in the future. Having said that, catfishing might be illegal if the activity of the catfish falls under a number of other, more general criminal offences and civil wrongdoings.
Catfishing and the criminal offence of fraud
In many cases catfishing involves fraud. The criminal offence of fraud includes identity theft. Victims can suffer both financial and emotional harm. Catfish often not only exploited their victims for money but they also exploit social relationships as a result of catfishing.
The Fraud Act 2006 includes offences that would apply to anyone who assumes a false or non-existent identity to commit fraud. Section 2 of the Fraud Act 2006, sets out the crime of fraud by false representation, which would cover a person pretending to be someone else for the purposes of making a gain for himself or another. Gain, is defined by section 5 of the Fraud Act as gain in money or property but it does not extend to emotional gain, sexual gratification or emotional gain. Because of the narrow definition of “gain” in the Fraud Act 2006, is difficult to prosecution people who commit catfishing online, unless they steal something tangible from their victims.
Catfishing and the criminal offence of harassment
Often, catfishing also involves the harassment of the victim which means catfish can be prosecuted under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997. Upon a conviction of harassment, the maximum sentence catfish could expect to receive is between 6 months to 10 years imprisonment, depending on whether the caused the victim to fear violence.
Catfishing and the criminal offence of malicious communications
When it occurs online, which is nearly always the case, the catfish could be prosecuted under the Malicious Communications Act 1998. Under section 1 of the Malicious Communications Act 1998, a catfish could be prosecuted if they send their victim of catfishing an electronic communication which conveys a message which is indecent or grossly offensive, a threat or an information which the sender knows to be false.
On a conviction under the Malicious Communications Act 1998, the maximum sentence that a catfish may receive is between 12 months to 2 years imprisonment, depending on the seriousness of the catfishing offence.
Can you take someone to court for catfishing
Yes. In many cases, as a victim of catfishing you can bring a civil case against a catfish for harassment, for misuse of your private information and for infringement your personal data rights under Data Protection Act 1998 and under GDPR. All the these civil wrongdoing can be brought to court at the same time with the likelihood of the victim being awarded an injunction and a substantial award of damages.
What to do if you've been catfished
If you suspect you've been the victim of catfishing, here is a practical sequence to follow.
- Preserve the evidence. Screenshot every message, profile, photo and payment. Keep originals (not edited copies). Note URLs, account handles, and the dates of each interaction.
- Stop engaging. Don't respond to the catfish further, and don't confront them. Continued contact can muddy a later legal case and may put you at greater emotional risk.
- Report to the police if you have lost money, received threats, or fear for your safety. The relevant offences may be fraud (Fraud Act 2006), harassment (Protection from Harassment Act 1997) or malicious communications (Malicious Communications Act 1988).
- Speak to a specialist solicitor. A specialist online harassment solicitor can advise on whether a civil claim is open to you for harassment, misuse of private information or data protection breach.
- Consider an emergency injunction. Where the catfish is continuing to contact you or has shared intimate material, a civil injunction can be obtained quickly to compel them to stop.
- Pursue identity disclosure. If the catfish is operating behind an anonymous account, a Norwich Pharmacal Order can compel the platform to disclose the identity behind the account.
Typical timelines: an emergency injunction can usually be obtained in days; a full civil claim takes 6 to 18 months from first instruction to judgment, depending on whether the defendant defends the claim. Costs vary by case; a specialist solicitor will discuss the expected cost at first instruction.
The Sweet Bobby case – a worked example
The Sweet Bobby case is one of the most striking examples of catfishing tried in the UK courts. Kirat Assi, a British radio presenter, was catfished for nearly nine years by Simran Kaur Bhogal, a relative, who created an elaborate web of around 50 fake online identities – including a man called "Bobby Jandu" with whom Kirat believed she was in a serious relationship.
Kirat brought a civil claim against Simran for harassment and misuse of private information. The case settled in 2022 with substantial damages and a public acknowledgement. The Sweet Bobby case set an important precedent: the courts will treat sustained online deception as both harassment and a breach of privacy rights, giving victims a clear civil route to damages and an injunction.
Yair Cohen, who appears in the GB News interview embedded above, has commented widely on the Sweet Bobby case and the legal protections it has cemented for catfishing victims.
Frequently asked questions about catfishing
Can I claim damages from a catfish if I never lost any money?
Yes. Damages in a civil catfishing claim can include compensation for emotional distress, anxiety and the loss of dignity caused by sustained deception. Money-only losses are not the only basis for a claim – the courts have repeatedly awarded substantial damages for non-financial harm in catfishing cases.
How do I find out who the catfish really is?
If the catfish is operating from behind an anonymous account, your solicitor can apply for a Norwich Pharmacal Order. This is a court order requiring the social media platform (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and so on) to disclose the account holder's identifying information – name, IP address, registered email. Once the catfish is identified, the civil claim can be pursued against the real person.
Will the catfish go to prison?
Possibly, depending on the conduct. A conviction under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 carries a maximum sentence of between six months and ten years' imprisonment, depending on whether the victim was caused to fear violence. A conviction under the Malicious Communications Act 1988 carries up to two years. Prison sentences in catfishing cases are uncommon but not unheard of; in most cases the resolution is civil.
Can the police trace a catfish who is in another country?
The police can pursue cross-border catfishing where the conduct affected a victim in the UK, but enforcement against a defendant abroad is often slow. A civil route is frequently faster, particularly where the social media platform has UK or EU operations: the platform can be ordered to disclose the catfish's identity even if the catfish is overseas.
Is it illegal to use someone else's photos on a fake profile?
Yes, usually. Using another person's photographs without consent can amount to misuse of private information, a breach of their copyright, a breach of data protection rights under the UK GDPR, and (where the photos are sexually intimate) a separate criminal offence under the Online Safety Act 2023.
How long does a catfishing claim take to resolve?
An emergency injunction (to stop further contact or remove published material) can usually be obtained within days. A full civil claim with damages typically takes 6 to 18 months from first instruction to settlement or judgment, depending on whether the defendant defends the claim and whether identity disclosure is needed.
