WHEN her boyfriend began to be bombarded with messages asking why she was messaging other men, Sasha-Jay Davies was mortified.
The now 19-year-old nurse, who had never cheated, was so worried she decided to investigate – but things took an even more bizarre turn when strangers started approaching her, calling her “Sophie”. Then she uncovered the disturbing truth.
Sasha-Jay was moritifed when she discovered the campaign of impersonation Credit: SWNS
She was horrified when she discovered her photos had been stolen and used to catfish men on dating apps, Instagram, and TikTok.
The shocking identity theft was the start of a living nightmare that went on for four years.
Sasha-Jay’s photos were used to lure men into false relationships and friendships – and she was even confronted in public by strangers angry about missed dates she had no clue about.
The imposter, using the fabricated name “Sophie Kadare,” amassed 81,000 TikTok followers and 22,000 on Instagram.
Sasha-Jay showing the profiles under the name ‘Sophie’ Credit: SWNS
She discovered a huge online network all built around her pictures Credit: SWNS
The account kept posting pictures of the teen as posts and stories, as well as pictures of other women’s bodies who have a similar build to her.
That attracted comments from men, which Sasha-Jay described as “disturbing”.
But while police couldn’t act – the teen managed to bring a civil case to the High Court against the imposter, who was exposed after detective work by her lawyers as another young Welsh woman, Elha Mai Weston.
Bringing her case to court on July 13 – a settlement was agreed, which meant faker Weston had to apologise, admit the four year campaign and pay Sasha-Jay compensation of £10,000.
In a statement read out in the High Court, it was said Weston had created a “fictitious identity” using Sasha-Jay’s pictures – and used the “Sophie” persona have “personal and romantic conversations”.
Weston is now subject to a so-called Tomlin Order – a settlement without trial – which agreed the apology and payment, and which also means she must not commit similar acts in future or risk being found in contempt of court, which would mean a tougher sanction.
Sasha-Jay, from Aberdare, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, said: “People approach me in real live believing that they have been talking to me and I’ve had to defend myself against conversations I have never had.
“When somebody weaponises your identity online, your safety in the real world disappears.
Sasha-Jay’s photos were used to build a TikTok account with 81,000 followers Credit: SWNS
Sasha-Jay said the online campaign had real life consequences as people would approach her in the street Credit: SWNS
“People think that I am behind the fake account and it’s really hard. I have to try and prove that I am a real person.
“It’s like violation in a way, they are using my pictures without my consent and they live a second life using my face.
“I have been forced to deal with the consequences in the real world.”
Catfishing is the act of creating a fake online identity to deceive someone, often for romantic, financial, or personal gain.
The perpetrators generally use fake photos and lie about their personal lives to present themselves as someone else.
Sasha-Jay first came across the fraud at the age of 16, back in 2022 – when people from her hometown started messaging her about a fake account on TikTok using her pictures under a different name.
As the profile was public and content was being posted daily, it quickly gained followers.
Sasha-Jay reported it to the police, but she was told not much could be done.
Sasha-Jay’s identity was used to lure in men Credit: SWNS
She suffered a four year nightmare Credit: SWNS
Sasha-Jay said: “I started to get a bit worried because I knew it wasn’t just taking my pictures and posting them anymore.
“They were texting people behind the scenes. I reported it to the police and they said there was nothing they can do because social media is such a grey area.
“I reported all the social media accounts for impersonating me and still the accounts were not being shut down.”
It later emerged that Instagram accounts and dating apps such as Tinder and Hinge were also using Sasha-Jay’s pictures.
She has had about 20 men and several women contact her on social media, believing they know her.
To make the account more believable, the identity thief even created false profiles of her friends to comment on her pictures.
They also made disturbing posts relating to her dad who has passed away and also reposted racial slurs.
Her boyfriend has also received messages from men asking why he is allowing his girlfriend to message other men.
“I was having people texting me trying to get me to admit that I was behind the fake account,” Sasha-Jay added.
“They were making friends with girls and then they were talking to boys on a romantic level but being really personal and having day to day conversations.
“The person would speak to them for months and months on end, arranging to meet up with them – it was really full on.”
The account kept posting pictures and stories of the teen, as well as images of other women’s bodies who have a similar build to her.
Instagram image of Sasha-Jay as ‘Sophie Kadare’ on a fake account set up to catfish men Credit: Supplied by Champion News
Sasha-Jay and her solicitor Yair Cohen outside High Court after the conclusion of the ‘catfish’ case Credit: Champion News Service
That attracted comments from men, which Sasha-Jay described as “disturbing”.
She added: “I have people come up to me asking if I’m this Sophie even if I go to Cardiff to shop.
“Last year on a night out in Swansea I had a boy coming after me calling me Sophie and I said ‘you know I’m not Sophie I’m Sasha’.
“He said that he’d been talking to me for weeks and showed me all the messages.
“I told him that it was a fake account.
“I was definitely scared at that point, I felt really uncomfortable.”
Despite making her own accounts private 18 months ago, Sasha-Jay said the identity thief continued to use old photos and AI-edited images.
The photographs were used on accounts under the name of Sophie Kadare.
Sophie-Jay said: “I think whoever is doing this is just for attention which is obviously really sad.
“They have come across my account, or they know who I am and they have decided to take my images and post them.
“I think it’s just one person.”
She repeatedly reported the social media accounts, but says the impersonator blocks her friends and family to prevent them doing the same.
The fact that the impersonating accounts gained 81,000 followers on TikTok and 22,000 on Instagram also made it difficult.
But now the accounts have been deleted, says Sasha-Jay.
She said: “They look like the real account and I look like the fake person.”
Police initially told her nothing could be done, but after Sasha-Jay recently posted about her experiences on Facebook, she was given an incident number, and they are investigating.
She said: “Our lives have become so digital that the systems meant to protect us haven’t caught up.
“The police are overwhelmed and they don’t have the resources to probably investigate complex cyber harassment and impersonating cases like this which is a shame.
“I am not the only person that this is happening to – it happens a lot.”
This four-year nightmare has made Sophie reluctant to go out.
She said: “Even if I got to the local supermarket I’m thinking in my head that the person could be next to me and they know they are doing it to me but I have no idea.”
Sasha contacted police about the abuse before launching High Court proceedings through her lawyers, Cohen Davis Solicitors, after they identified the culprit.
The case was settled last week by a statement read in court by Mr Zabilowicz said Miss Weston had accepted “that her conduct was wrongful” and added: “She further acknowledges the very significant distress and suffering it has caused Miss Davies.
“Miss Weston deeply regrets her actions and apologises to Miss Davies wholeheartedly and unreservedly for everything she has been put through.”
In a previous statement South Wales Police said: “South Wales Police is investigating a case of identity theft in the Mountain Ash area.
“The victim is being kept up to date during the investigation.”
TikTok confirmed the account was removed for violating its community guidelines, which prohibit impersonation and spam, as well as content that “violates someone else’s intellectual property rights”.
Instagram has been approached for a comment.
