Airport warns about catfishing as people arrive to meet loved ones who don’t exist

The chief executive of an airport in central Newfoundland says staff have noticed an increase in people who appear to have been victims of a manipulative scheme known as catfishing.

Reg Wright with the Gander International Airport says more people have been arriving at the facility to meet someone they’ve been speaking with online, only to find the person doesn’t exist.

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He says there were six such people at the airport in the last month.

Catfishing involves using a fake online persona to deceive someone, often to extract money from them.

Wright says the situation is crushing for staff and victims, and he is urging people to be aware if their family members — especially older people — seem to be involved with someone online.

He says he believes Gander is a microcosm reflecting a trend worsening across the country.