Dark Tetrad Personalities Linked to Catfishing and Exploitation.

People with "dark tetrad" personality traits, including narcissism, Machiavellianism, sadism, and psychopathy, are more likely to engage in catfishing behaviors online and manipulate and exploit potential partners. Catfishing is when someone creates or steals an identity to deceive and exploit others. The experience of catfishing can cause significant psychological and financial damage to the victim-survivor. Researchers have identified six signs of a potential catfishing scenario, including the catfisher contacting the victim-survivor first, being too good to be true, love bombing, never calling, strange communication, and asking for money.