Petition · past parliament · Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Make Catfishing a specific criminal offence
Closed
144 signatures
What the petition asks
Take seriously the effects and outcomes this can have on innocent lives. People's lives can be ruined by catfishing, where a victim is lured into a relationship by someone using a fake profile. We want catfishing to be made a specific offence, so police and courts are empowered to tackle this.
In the modern world we live in now, catfishing happens to too many people. It's not harmless but actually emotional abuse.
Too many people use fake profiles to pray on and emotionally abuse vulnerable people, take their money, pray on vulnerable people and cause serious distress.
My personal information, including photos of my child, has been used by someone trying to catfish other people, and I have struggled to get any form of justice. It is essential the Government step up.
Too many people use fake profiles to pray on and emotionally abuse vulnerable people, take their money, pray on vulnerable people and cause serious distress.
My personal information, including photos of my child, has been used by someone trying to catfish other people, and I have struggled to get any form of justice. It is essential the Government step up.
Timeline
| 1 Mar 2023 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 1 Sep 2023 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
144
Status
Closed
Department
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Opened
1 Mar 2023
Closed
1 Sep 2023
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.