3/4/13 - A local man was investigated for sexual harassment after his wife's coworker stole his identity, created a false Facebook page, and used it to begin a romantic relationship with a Florida woman. The practice of using false online profiles in romantic relationships is called âcatfishing,â a term which originates with a 2010 documentary and was popularized following the scandal surrounding football player Manti Te'o. The Livingston County Sheriff's Department was notified of the problem when the Howell couple contacted them about a sexual harassment investigation by the husband's place of employment. The wife told police her 22-year-old coworker had obtained a photo of her husband son and used it to create a fraudulent Facebook page. Police say the coworker then used the page to begin a romantic relationship with a 56-year-old Florida woman. The police report says the woman had 49 fake Facebook profiles and claimed that she had been "catfishing" since she was 13 years old. The sheriff's department says the practice is not a violation of criminal law, but could lead to civil charges of libel or slander. (JK)
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