The most 'catfished' states where people fall for phony romance scams

The most 'catfished' states, where people fall for phony romance scams, have been revealed.  

Believe it or not, the golden state of California took the top spot, with its scams totaling out to nearly $200 million in economic losses, according to the researchers at Emisil.

A 'catfish,' is a person who pretends to be someone different online, by using fake pictures and made-up profiles, in order to lure their victims into a romantic relationship, often for financial gain. 

The researchers at Emisil, used a combination of the Google Keyword Planner, and reports from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, to create a ranking system for the states.

During the brand's investigation, three things were studied - the number of annual victims per 100,000 residents in each state, how much money was lost, and the number of times anything 'catfished' related was searched online, such as, 'How do I know if I'm being catfished.' 

The most 'catfished' states, where people fall for phony romance scams, has been revealed (stock image)

Believe it or not, the golden state of California took the top spot, with its scams totaling out to nearly $200 million in economic losses, according to the researchers at Emisil (pictured)

Out of all the states, California victims reportedly lost the most amount of money, which totaled to $183,928,230.

The Golden State also got the highest rank when it came to romance scams, while totaled to 3,023. 

Alaska had the highest number of victims at 11.9 out of 100,000.

Nevada had the highest number of 'catfished' searches at 141.7 out of 100,000.

New Mexico residents lost the least amount of money at $1,978,627. 

Alaska had the lowest number of romance scams at 87. 

Texas had the least number of victims at 5.9 per 100,000.

New Mexico had the least amount of 'catfished' searches at 118.1 per 100,000.

A 'catfish,' is a person who pretends to be someone different online, by using fake pictures and made-up profiles, in order to lure their victims, often for financial gain (stock image) 

When it comes to avoiding catfishes online, the researchers of the study have provided several helpful suggestions. 

The first is to do a reverse image search on Google, so that you can discover if the person has a different name, or profile anywhere else online.

Their second suggestion is to schedule a video call with the person to confirm that they're who they say they are.

Lastly, the researchers advised in their study: 'Avoid sharing sensitive personal information (address, financial details, etc.) with someone you’ve only met online. 

'Use trusted dating and social platforms that offer additional verification features and remove fake profiles.'

Despite your best efforts, at times a catfish can unfortunately still be difficult to spot.