Parenting Pointers: Catching the Catfishers

Disclosure: I received complimentary products to facilitate this post. All opinions are my own.

Ms. Tyler Cohen Wood, a social media and cyber issues expert, is a senior officer and a cyber branch chief for the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) and author of the new book, "CATCHING THE CATFISHERS: Disarm the Online Pretenders, Predators, and Perpetrators Who Are Out to Ruin Your Life" (Career Press, April 2014).

Written for every user of social media, CATCHING THE CATFISHERS focuses on protecting readers and their families from predators, liars, and bullies. It outlines how to identify cyber bullying and what to do if you or your child is a cyber bullied, how to read deception online using modified statement analysis, and more.

This book was well-written and comprehensive. It's informative, firm, but not preachy.
I had a chance to interview the author to learn more.

Where did the term Catfisher come from?

“Catfisher” was coined in the documentary (and later MTV show) Catfish to mean someone who is misrepresenting themselves online.  The exact term has to do with a quote that basically refers to catfish as the lowest of the low.  The term has morphed in popular culture to mean someone who is lying to you online about who they are.

Why did you write this book?

I have been working for the Department of Defense and as a Cyber expert for roughly 15 years. I worked on many cases where good people were victimized by predators and scammers and knew that I impart my knowledge to teach parents and children how to protect themselves from becoming victims. I looked around and determined that there was no easy-to-understand guide for professionals, young adults and parents on how to use the Internet and social media safely and securely, how to protect themselves and their privacy and get the things that they want.  People are inadvertently giving things about themselves and their children away online all the time, and it should be a top concern.

What sets it apart from other online security books out there?

This book is very easy and quick to read and understand. It teaches how to read lies and deception and to vet if someone who you and your children are talking to online is actually who they say they are. It gives you very easy checklists that you and your children can use. You learn the threats of operating in this online “Wild West” and what you can do about it using skills that you can apply immediately. You learn how to manage your online experience at all levels.

How can people pass this information on to loved ones who may get defensive about their online communication?

The online world that we live in and the relationships that we have in it are very real. If you know someone who you suspect is putting themselves or their children in danger or hurting their chances at success based on what they self-disclose, tell them what you’ve learned from the rules and checklists in the book.  Better yet, suggest they get a copy for themselves.