(FOX40.COM) -- A Northern California resident lost more than $25,000 after being scammed by a 'celebrity' catfish. • Video Above: Scams circulating in California

A catfish is someone who steals another person's identity and pretends to be them online. The scam began when the victim commented on a Facebook post, and someone posing as a celebrity asked the victim to private message him, according to the Nevada County Sheriff's Office.

Deputies said that through chatting on Facebook, the scammer convinced the victim to move their conversation into a popular private messaging app called Zangi. The victim spoke with the scammer for several hours per day, building trust via the app but never over the phone. He was eventually persuaded to join the fake actor’s fan club for $200.

According to N

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