Hunting the Catfish Crime Gang
Date Posted: October 23, 2023
Having posted his life on social media, James Blakes’ face and name is stolen and used in scams. In a fight to get his identity back, he uncovers a world of organised crime. Hunting The Catfish Crime Gang is a co-commission for BBC Northern Ireland and BBC Three by Strident, with support from Northern Ireland Screen.
We’ve never lived so much of our lives online, or so publicly… sharing what we love, where we go, and what we do with anyone who wants to take a look.
But what do you do if you’re busy living your best life on the gram and someone steals your face, your name and even your puppy pics…starts using them to scam…and everyone thinks it’s you?
James Blake – a 30-year-old entrepreneur – was living the insta-dream until someone scraped his accounts, and he started getting messages from people accusing him of conning them out of tens of thousands of pounds.
As he sets out to try and get his face and name back, James discovers a dark and utterly heartless modern day crime wave where ruthless organised gangs are using the very latest technology to prey on our age-old desire for love, companionship and success, all to scam blameless victims out of money.
James’ attempt to find out more and get his online identity back takes him on an international journey and he discovers that shockingly it’s not only those being conned who are the victims here – many of those carrying out the con are suffering too – at the hands of gangs behind this modern-day crime.
Hunting the Catfish Crime Gang will air Monday 23 October on BBC Three at 9pm and Tuesday 24 October on BBC One and BBC One NI at 10:40pm.
