A former glamour model from Penrhyncoch is calling for the online act of cat-fishing to be made illegal.

Jessica Davies, 26, has opened up about cat-fishing and how it has become a “persistent issue” for her.

Cat-fishing is the act of using someone else’s photos and passing them off as yourself online – commonly on social media and dating apps like Tinder.

Jessica told the Cambrian News that just last week she had five different accounts brought to her attention, across several social media platforms, on which people were pretending to be her.

She said that the most frustrating aspect of the issue is that cat-fishers are using her image and identity in order to scam people out of their money.

Jessica moved away from Aberystwyth at the age of 18 to attend the University of South Wales in Cardiff, and still lives in the city, but she regularly returns to visit family. Following a career as a glamour model, Jessica has reinvented herself as an online personality.

Her blog, Jabber with Jess, considers the effects of online harassment and mental health.

Speaking about how her face is being used by scammers online, Jessica said: “In most cases they change my name and just use my images but I’ve had many cases where people also use my name, along with images, in a direct attempt to impersonate me.”

Jessica has said that this is a global issue for her as she has been made aware of individuals from as far afield as Nigeria, Philippines, America and Australia using her images deceitfully.

See this week’s Aberystwyth paper for the full story, available in shops and as a digital edition now