Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.
The 2 Johnnies Podcast is back with another episode of the GAA Catfish saga – which first captured national attention in 2022 – because the perpetrator has struck again.
The story exposes a long list of fake profiles that ‘catfished’ men across Ireland – including professional football players from The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) and the podcast’s co-host Johnny ‘B’ O’Brien.
Throughout the episode, O’Brien and co-host Johnny ‘Smacks’ McMahon speak with some of the men affected by the catfish – ‘Nicky’ – bringing awareness to the dangers of it.
Catfishing is more common than many people realise, according to Statista, 22% of people personally experienced it between 2022 and 2023.
Many incidents take place online, and there is a lot of stigma still present – with lots of people probably wondering, ‘How did you not know?’
So what signs should you look out for?
Reluctance to meet in person
Dr Lalitaa Suglani, psychologist and dating expert for eHarmony, says reluctance to meet in person can be a warning sign that the person you are speaking to is a catfish.
A common theme throughout the GAA Catfish case was that they didn’t meet any of the men in person, using reasons like a death in the family to explain it.
“If someone you are communicating with is constantly refusing to even video chat or meet in person, it can be a sign they’re hiding their true identity,” Jessica Alderson, co-founder and CEO of dating website So Syncd.
Emotional manipulation
“The catfish may use emotional manipulation – so they create a sense of urgency or drama to elicit sympathy or attention, almost playing on your guilt or shame,” Suglani says.
Again, this was a common theme throughout the GAA Catfish saga as fake family members accounts were made to text co-host O’Brien asking why he wasn’t replying to ‘Nicky’.
Asking for money
Research from Which found that over the past year, 12% of UK adults lost money due to an online scam – that’s an estimated 6.6 million people.
Although not all of this was due to catfishing and online dating, Alderson says catfishers often build trust and emotional connections with their victims to ultimately ask for money.
“They may come up with elaborate stories and excuses to justify their need for financial assistance, such as a family member’s medical emergency or a sudden job loss.”
“If someone you’ve never met in person asks for money, it’s a major red flag.”
Inconsistent stories
Suglani says that the catfish may give inconsistent stories so they may frequently contradict themselves.
“They may change details about their life, or seem unsure when they are recalling past conversations,” she says.
Photos look too perfect
Catfishes – as we hear in podcats – will often use ‘perfect’ images of people to draw in their victims.
“Photos can often look too perfect,” says Suglani. “For example their photos may appear overly polished or look like stock images. Reverse image searches often reveal these as taken from other sources.”
Some signs that you have been catfished according to Alderson are the person may disappear suddenly – as seen in GAA Catfish when the catfish ‘died’ – the person’s online presence disappears or sometimes they may actually confess.
What to do if you have been catfished?
“If someone you are talking to online is making you feel uncomfortable, cease your communication with them and report them to the dating service provider or the police immediately,” Alderson says.
As catfishing can also cause serious emotional harm, Lalitaa says to seek support by talking to a friend, family member or a professional to process your emotions and rebuild trust in online interactions.
She also advises to report the profile, document all interactions and be cautious moving forward to ensure you have learnt from the experience.
