'It's really dangerous': Kym Marsh reveals fears as daughter Emilie, 18, is 'catfished' by fake users making her BISEXUAL dating profiles

By Becky Freeth for MailOnline

Published: 10:48 EDT, 5 April 2017 | Updated: 10:48 EDT, 5 April 2017

Kym Marsh has sought to make 'catfishing' illegal after her 18-year-old daughter was made a target online.

The Coronation Street actress, 40, spoke of her distress after Emilie Cunliffe's identity was used for a fake dating profile seeking bisexual dates.

Also a victim of online impersonators, Kym told Loose Women that Emilie has been reporting the abuse since she was 14 years old.

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Distressed: Kym Marsh has revealed her fears over daughter Emilie Cunliffe getting 'catfished' online by strangers

Distressed: Kym Marsh has revealed her fears over daughter Emilie Cunliffe getting 'catfished' online by strangers

Kym said: 'There's been various fake sites made about her. She's really fed up, whenever we reported it, a new one would pop up.' 

'One dating website recently claimed she was bisexual and she wanted to meet girls. that was terrifying to me. When you're growing up, to have your sexuality talked about is distressing.

'We went to the police and they said we cant do anything about it, it's not a crime.'

'It's really dangerous,' she continued. 'The irony is when you report these things you have to prove you are actually you before they will do anything about it.'

Protective: Kym is trying to make catfishing illegal after her 18-year-old (left, in May 2016) was targeted online

Protective: Kym is trying to make catfishing illegal after her 18-year-old (left, in May 2016) was targeted online

Fame game: Emilie was targeted by fake users who claimed to be looking for bisexual dates

Fame game: Emilie was targeted by fake users who claimed to be looking for bisexual dates

A 'catfish' uses someone else's identity online, against their will, and it's something that TV personality Kym has come to accept during her 17 years in the spotlight. 

Kym's daughter Emilie followed the TV actress into the spotlight in 2015, when she appeared as a contestant on The Voice at the age of 17, yet none of the vocal coaches turned.

The teenager already had talent show experience having previously auditioned for Britain’s Got Talent at Manchester’s Lowry Theatre in 2014. 

Taking action: Kym (right, with Andrea McLean and Linda Robson) spoke to Loose Women about her experiences

Taking action: Kym (right, with Andrea McLean and Linda Robson) spoke to Loose Women about her experiences

Trolled: The brunette was catfished by someone who believed they'd dated her for 10 years

Trolled: The brunette was catfished by someone who believed they'd dated her for 10 years

Protecting her identity: She said that she had come to expect it in her line of work

Protecting her identity: She said that she had come to expect it in her line of work

Speaking out: Kym has been in the fame game for 17 years

Speaking out: Kym has been in the fame game for 17 years

Kym initially found fame on Popstars as part of winning band Hear'Say in 2000, before turning her hand to acting.

'I knew there were fake profiles of me on social media,' Kym said of her own fame. 'To a certain degree you expect it because of the job that I do.

'This one day I came home to a bunch of flowers, with a card saying, "Sorry you couldn't make the date," with kisses.

On screens: Kym is famous for her part in Coronation Street

On screens: Kym is famous for her part in Coronation Street

Finding fame: Emilie followed her mother into the fame game in 2015, when she auditioned for The Voice

Finding fame: Emilie followed her mother into the fame game in 2015, when she auditioned for The Voice

When police investigated, they discovered that the perpetrator believed he'd been in a relationship with Kym for the past 10 years. 

On the show, Kym met with Private Investigator Rebecca Jane, The Lady Detective, who is also calling for Catfishing to be made illegal. 

Rebecca said: 'It's such a huge problem, we need the law to change to get them to pay attention to us. If we don't do something about it now, what is the future for our children?' 

Rebecca is working with Stockport MP Ann Coffey to get the law changed.  

Back on screens: Kym met with Private Investigator Rebecca Jane, The Lady Detective, who is also calling for Catfishing to be made illegal

Back on screens: Kym met with Private Investigator Rebecca Jane, The Lady Detective, who is also calling for Catfishing to be made illegal

 

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