Catfish: The TV Show (2012–…): Season 5, Episode 12 - Vince & Alyssa - full transcript
A man cannot escape his online ex, whose stalking has caused his real girlfriend to break up with him.
- This girl is stalking you.
- Basically.
That was why Liz and I broke up.
- Whoa.
- I would see text messages
like, "I wish you were here
licking my [bleep]."
- This feels like the scene
out of a horror movie.
- Yeah, I know.
- All the windows are,
like, blacked out.
- Oh, yeah.
- Oh, yeah.
[laughter]
- Oh! Oh!
Oh!
- Amazing.
- Nice.
both: All right.
- Let'’s get serious.
- We'’ve got an email.
- "Please help.
My online ex is harassing me."
- "Hey, Nev and Max.
My name is Vince,
and I'’m from Hillsboro, Ohio.
I'’m writing you
because my ex-online girlfriend
just ruined
my real-life relationship."
Oh, my God.
"My ex Alyssa randomly friend
requested me in 2013.
"About a month later,
we started dating officially.
"We talked and texted
all the time,
"and we fell in love.
"I never tried
to video chat with her
"since I wanted our first time
meeting each other to be IRL,
"but I did try
to meet her 20 times,
"and she always had
an elaborate excuse.
"Still, things
were going great--that is,
until Alyssa got really jealous
and controlling."
- Mm. Mm.
- "She would start fights
for no reason.
After about a year,
"I finally broke things off.
"A few months after the breakup,
"she reached out to me
out of the blue.
"At that point, I had
a new girlfriend named Liz.
Alyssa was upset when she heard
that I was dating someone new."
- "Are you kidding me?
You'’re already
dating someone new?"
I'’m just putting in
some sound bites of, like,
what their real
relationship was like.
- "We decided
to give friendship a try
because we had shared so much
during the course
of our year-long relationship,
but Alyssa quickly
crossed the line."
- ♪ Give me your fire
- "She would call and text me
at all hours of the night,
"and eventually Alyssa
started to tell me
she loved me and wanted
to be with me."
- "I love you, and I want to be
with you, Vince."
- "Liz ended up getting involved
and tried several times
"to tell Alyssa to step back,
"but, in the end,
Liz started second-guessing
"how faithful I was to her,
and we broke up
just five days ago."
Oh, my God.
"I feel like Alyssa
has been haunting me.
"Please help me confront Alyssa
so I can tell her
that I want her
out of my life for good."
- ♪ Let your flames rise
- That'’s intense.
- That is intense.
What do you do when you'’ve got
someone who just won'’t let go?
- Let'’s call him.
[dialing]
Hey.
- Hey. There you are.
- How'’s it going?
- Good. How are you?
- Well, I'’m doing great.
- Are you?
- Didn'’t your girlfriend
just break up with you?
- Yeah, it seemed
like you'’re not doing so great.
- Well, no, but I'’m trying
to smile and have
a good attitude, so--
- Okay.
- You'’re in quite a predicament.
Tell us a little bit
about how this whole thing
with Alyssa started.
- Basically, Alyssa and I,
we started talking
in about 2013.
It was good
for about six months,
and then she, you know,
started getting controlling.
I tried to meet up
with her a lot of times.
She just always
had some excuse, like,
"Hey, I can'’t hang out
this weekend," or,
"I don'’t have the gas
money"--just bull[bleep].
- Where did Alyssa
say she lived?
- She said she lived
in Indiana.
It'’s like a three-hour drive.
- Tell us about how it'’s ruined
your real-life relationship
with Liz.
- After Alyssa
and I broke up,
I started talking to Liz,
and we hit it off,
and we were
in a great relationship,
going on for about a year
and a half.
I am madly in love
with that girl.
- You were dating her for a year
and a half?
- Yeah, a year and a half.
- Wow--and Alyssa
just broke that up?
- Yeah, Alyssa started
contacting me again,
saying, "I still love you.
I want to be with you,"
and I was trying
to give her the hint
I don'’t want a relationship,
and she still harassed me
and called me
at random times of the night,
two or three in the morning.
- As you could see
that it was really
hurting your relationship
with Liz, like,
why not just get
a new phone number?
- I did get a new number,
but she got my number somehow.
- This girl is stalking you.
- Basically.
The harassment continued,
and that was a big part
of why Liz and I broke up,
because Liz felt like,
since Alyssa was still
in the picture,
she couldn'’t trust me anymore.
- Hopefully we can figure out
who Alyssa is,
make it clear to her once
and for all
that you are not interested
in a relationship.
- Right.
- There might be
a happy ending here
if we can get you
back together with Liz.
- Awesome.
Yeah, I would love that.
- We'’ll see you tomorrow, then.
Later.
Even if she'’s exactly the person
she claims to be...
- Right.
- She'’s still being a B.
Because this guy has told her,
"I will be friends with you,
but I'’m in a relationship.
Please don'’t get
in the way of that,"
and she ignored it.
- Let'’s get to the bottom of it.
- ♪ If you have a problem
♪ Just get on the plane
and fly ♪
♪ Fly, fly, fly, you'’ll be
so glad you did that ♪
- Oh, is Max cold?
He needs his blanket.
♪
- Made it.
- We made it to Ohio.
Vince probably got catfished
a couple years ago.
- Mm-hmm.
- She broke his heart.
He moved on, but then
all of a sudden,
the catfish comes back.
- Just when you think
you'’re out,
the catfish reels you back in.
- Well, let'’s see what Vince
has to say for himself.
Oh, look at the cat.
I want to see this kitty.
Meow.
- Can you tell us
who the catfish is?
- Señor Gato?
[knocking on door]
- Hey.
- This guy.
- Hi.
- Looking cool.
- Come on in.
- Have a seat, my friend.
So, how you doing?
- I'’m star--I'’m just
trying to stay positive.
It'’s been
a rough couple days for me.
- So this really
happened five days ago--
- Yeah.
- Or six days ago, now?
- Yeah.
It still hurts.
I can'’t lie.
After we broke up, I said,
"I'’m still in love with you,"
and she said, "Yeah.
I'’m still in love with you too."
- So Liz, your girlfriend
of the last year
and a half, last week, says,
"I'’m having a hard time.
I don'’t feel
like I can trust you."
- Yeah.
She had an assumption
that I was going
behind her back
and doing something
I shouldn'’t be,
which--that wasn'’t
the case, you know?
I'’ve been honest with her.
- So you'’ve got to find out
who Alyssa is and get Liz back?
- Back. Yes.
I want my relationship
with Elizabeth
to work out--
I want to fix it.
- Okay, look, I think we need
to rewind a little bit.
Take us, step by step,
through the whole
last three years.
- Okay, so basically, in 2013,
Alyssa messaged me.
We start talking,
and we hit it off nicely.
I felt like we were both ready
to meet up and take it
to the next level.
So it was like,
"I'’m free this weekend.
Let'’s try to meet up."
She'’s like, "Yeah, sure,"
and then,
all of a sudden, she just said,
"I can'’t hang out with you."
- Did you, like, call her out
and say, like, "What the F?"
- No. You know,
I was like, "Okay."
You know, I'’ll forgive her
and we'’ll keep going forward,
and then, after that,
her mother actually
was diagnosed with breast cancer
and ultimately passed away.
- Were you kind
of holding Alyssa'’s hand
through all of this?
- Yeah, I was basically, like,
her support system
throughout all of this.
At one point,
Alyssa was actually
diagnosed with breast cancer,
and she went to the hospital
to get treatment.
- Whoa, so her mom got diagnosed
with breast cancer,
and then she got diagnosed
with breast cancer,
and then her mom died
of breast cancer?
- Yeah.
It was a rough time.
She was there for two
or three months.
- She was calling you
from the hospital?
- Yeah, basically.
Alyssa'’s cousin, Miranda,
was with Alyssa,
and she was, like,
there to update me.
- Was she texting you?
- Yeah.
She was actually texting me
from Alyssa'’s phone
when she was
going through chemotherapy
to give me updates
on her condition.
- At what point do you break up?
- She started controlling
the relationship.
It got to the point where she
would look through my Facebook
and tell me, like,
"Hey, you need
to block this person
because they'’re making
contact with you."
Which is very controlling.
- Whoa.
- She definitely
put me through hell.
So, I just felt
like it was a really good idea
for us to stop dating.
- At what point did Liz
come around?
- After three or four months,
I started talking to Elizabeth.
We went through
so much together.
We were dating for about
a year and a half,
and we ultimately broke up
because Alyssa was trying
to contact me over and over.
We lost a good thing.
I feel like after
we get some answers,
I can tell Alyssa
I don'’t want her
to be a part of my life anymore
so Liz and I can,
ultimately, get back together.
- Why don'’t you show us Alyssa?
- Yeah, absolutely.
You have to excuse my phone.
It'’s pretty beat-up.
- So this is Alyssa?
- Yeah, that'’s Alyssa.
- She looks nice.
- Good smile.
- All right, well,
I would like to talk to Liz.
Liz is obviously
a big part of the story.
- Yeah, absolutely.
- So if it'’s okay,
I'’d like to give her a call.
- Yeah, that'’s fine.
- So if we can get Liz'’s number
and everything else
that you have
about this whole crazy story,
we can actually start to see
if we can figure this out.
- Sounds great.
- My gut is it'’s a catfish.
- He fell for the cancer stuff.
- Right.
- He needs to see
for his own eyes
that Alyssa is lying to him.
- He needs to open his eyes.He ha--
- And see--and seeing
Alyssa will do that,
but he might lose
Liz either way.
- There'’s a lot riding on this.
- These hands are dry.
I need some mega-rich
moisturizer.
- You don'’t do anything
with your hands.
- I hold the camera.
- That'’s it.
- I write down notes.
- You don'’t write down notes.
- I do write down the notes.
- All right.
We got a little
investigation chamber.
Vince meets
Alyssa three years ago.
Very quickly,
they fall in love.
Eventually, Alyssa starts
to get really controlling
and becomes incredibly jealous.
They break up.
Vince starts dating Liz...
- Yeah.
- But then--
- Alyssa starts, like,
texting and calling Vince at,
like, strange hours of the day.
- Yeah, all the time.
- Kind of turns into, like,
"Fatal Attraction."
- Yeah.
- Except for the fact that,
up until five days ago,
Vince has a girlfriend
that he'’s with all the time.
Liz.
- Right.
- All right. Let'’s dive in.
- Here'’s his email.
"I know she lives
in Jasper, Indiana."
"Alyssa'’s cousin'’s
name is Miranda [bleep]."
- "If you guys
want to talk to Liz,
she works nights,
so she might not answer."
Well, if she works nights,
we should call her first.
- Okay.
[phone dialing]
- Hey, Liz.
It'’s Nev and Max.
We make a show called "Catfish."
We'’d like to talk to you.
Please give me a call back.
Okay, thank you.
All right, I'’d like to start
with Alyssa'’s Facebook page.
Alyssa Johnson.
This says something.
- What does that say? "Damaren"?
- "Bramento"?
- "Dramento"--"Cramento"--
Sacramento!
- Something--Sacramento.
- Sacramento!
- We got a lead.
- We got a lead.
She'’s wearing
a Sacramento shirt.
- Whoa, whoa, whoa, what'’s this?
Here'’s a picture of her laying
next to a tombstone.
- And it says--
- "Woolsey"?
- "Charles [bleep] II."
- See if that'’s a--who that is.
- Sacramento--look, Charles[bleep].
Yeah, that'’s what it was.
- Here'’s an obituary.
"Our beloved son,
Charles [bleep],
passed away peacefully
on July 13th.
He is survived
by his father Charles,
sister Carrie,
niece Alyssa [bleep].
- Who is Alyssa [bleep]?
- I don'’t know.
Different last name.
All right,
let'’s look up Alyssa [bleep].
Whoa.
- You found it.
You found it.
Same pictures.
- Same pictures--married
to Robert [bleep].
- She lives in Sacramento...
- Right.
- And she'’s married.
- Whoever'’s doing
this created a profile
using her pictures and her name.
Oh, wait.
There are some videos.
- I started self-harming
when I was 13.
It was a very,
very hard time for me
and a very dark time.
I get so much
Internet negativity--
constantly getting hate.
I just genuinely
hated myself so much.
- Oh, man.
It'’s a terrible story.
Should we send her a message?
- Yeah, I think we need
to reach out to her.
- Okay.
So now let'’s look up
the phone number of the girl
that he is talking to.
- Miranda [bleep].
Miranda!
- Yeah! We proved it.
- Oh, my God.
- It'’s Miranda'’s phone.
- So it'’s the cousin.
Well, here'’s her Facebook page.
- Whoa.
- It'’s Alyssa.
- Okay, okay.
Wow, wow, wow.
- Hi, guys.
both: Hi.
- What'’s up?
- I really love the show.
Like, I watch it
all the time,
but it actually
doesn'’t surprise me
that someone'’s
using my pictures,
'’cause it'’s happened
to me before.
- That'’s crazy.
- Yeah.
- So we'’re in Cincinnati
because there'’s a guy
here who had, like,
a full-on relationship
with a girl named Alyssa
who was using your photos.
- Wow.
- So you'’ve never talked to
or heard of a guy
named Vince [bleep]?
- No.
I don'’t know
anyone in Cincinnati.
- Do you know a girl
named Miranda?
- No, I don'’t.
- Okay.
One other thing--
we watched a video
you posted from a while ago
where you were talking about
how you experienced
a lot of bullying
and you were involved
in some self-harm.
Has that all gone away
or are you still
dealing with that?
- I actually stopped when I met
Robert, my husband.
He showed me
that that isn'’t the answer
and there'’s better ways
to handle that kind of thing.
- Well, this has been
extremely helpful.
- Oh, okay. Good.
I'’m glad I could help.
- Yeah.
Thank you so much, Alyssa.
All right, see you later.
- Bye.
- Okay. Bye.
- Now that we know he'’s not
talking to a girl named Alyssa,
and the girl in the pictures
isn'’t the girl in the picture--
[text message ding]
Oh!
Oh, we got a text.
- Oh, we got a message.
"Hey, guys.
I got your message,
but I'’m at work at the moment."
- Ugh.
When--should I ask her
when she'’ll be free?
- Yeah. Oh!
- "I can meet at a coffee shop
in the morning."
- All right.
- Okay. That'’s fine.
- So we can still meet her
before going to see Vince.
- "Okay, cool.
Thanks."
- She'’ll be able
to tell us stuff
about Vince...
- Right.
- And about
what their relationship is like,
which I'’m sure
is a little different
from his telling of it.
- Right.
- We know Miranda is the person.
- He'’s talk--whoever he'’s
talking to,
her name is Miranda...
- Right.
- And is this her?
Probably.
- We solved it.
Good investigation.
- We'’re going to meet Liz,
the very recent ex-girlfriend.
- This should be interesting,
'’cause Liz'’s life
has been dramatically
affected by Alyssa also.
All right.
[light rock music]
- Whoa.
I like the combination
of bikes and coffee.
Hello.
- Hey.
- You must be Liz. I'’m Max.
- Hi, Max. Nice to meet you.
- Nice to meet you.
- Hey.
- Hi.
- Nev. Good to meet you.
- Nice to meet you.
- Should we sit down?
- Thank you for meeting up
with us on such short notice.
Obviously, you know
what we'’re doing here.
- Right.
- We want your take
on this whole situation--
your side of the story.
- Well, I'’ve known Vince
for about three
and a half years now.
We started talking as friends,
and then we got together,
but Alyssa didn'’t get
out of his life.
She was always
in this relationship.
- So Alyssa was always this,
like, third person
in your relationship?
- Always. Always.
Why is Alyssa still involved?
I should be the only girl
that you'’re talking to.
She was, like, you know,
texting him and stuff,
and I would see
text messages like,
"I wish you were here
licking my [bleep]."
How am I supposed
to react to this?
- Really?
- Yes.
- Wow.
And she knows he'’s
in a relationship?
- Yeah.
She'’s making me crazy,
and then her cousin
gets involved, too,
and starts talking
to me--Miranda.
It'’s like, "Hey,
how are you doing?
How are you and Vince?"
As soon as she said that,
I was like, "Boom.
You really don'’t have
to talk to me."
That was it,
and it was cut off.
She never texted me back
to this day.
- How did we get from that
to you guys breaking up?
- Well, it was just
this past Monday.
We just broke up.
- This week?
- Yeah.
That'’s why, like, I'’m
really emotional about this.
He told me, "I'’m
gonna be '’Catfish.'’"
I didn'’t understand why.
I thought he met Alyssa.
I thought he knew Alyssa.
- So you never realized
that he had never met her?
- He lied to me
this whole relationship.
I'’m sorry.
I didn'’t know this whole time.
- Vince told you that he had
dated her in real life?
- And met her
and all this stuff.
From what the stories
he told me.
- Multiple stories about meeting
and being with her?
- Like, he told me,
like, he went
to her aunt'’s house,
and her aunt'’s house is nice,
and all of it'’s a lie.
I do love him.
I'’m just disappointed in him.
How can you love them
and never have met them?
- Welcome to our world.
- There is a--there is a stigma
and an embarrassment
that a lot of people feel when
they'’ve never met the person.
So to some extent, like,
I give him a pass on that.
I think it'’s worth just
putting in your mind
the idea that
a lot of the decisions
and mistakes
that Vince has made, in terms
of your relationship with him,
I think, have been, sadly,
very influenced by
this dark manipulative force
that'’s been in his life
for the past three years.
- Yeah.
- He'’s really
been taken advantage of
and hurt by this,
probably much more
than he'’s let on
to any of us,
but you especially.
So just don'’t write him off.
I think you guys
might make this work.
- Okay. Thank you.
- All right.
So we'’re gonna go over
to Vince'’s.
You'’ll hear either from us
or him soon,
depending on how all this goes.
Okay.
See you later.
- Bye.
- Bye, Liz.
- Thanks for meeting us.
Well, that was pretty intense.
- Yeah.
- The really sad part
is that he felt
like he had to lie
about having met her.
- Yeah.
- ♪ Oh, I should have known
- I understand the shame
and being like, "Yeah,
"I'’m so attached
and can'’t get rid of this girl
that I'’ve never
me--actually met."
- Right.Right.
- Whoever'’s behind "Alyssa"
has caused
some serious pain
and turmoil
to not just Vince,
but Liz as well.
[suspenseful music]
♪
- Hello.
- Hey, how'’s it going?
- Hey, Vince.
- Come on in.
- You know, we just came
from talking to Liz.
- And how was that?
- We ju--we just
sort of said, "Hey,
tell us your version
of what'’s going on."
- Right.
- She didn'’t know
for the whole time
that you guys were dating
that you and Alyssa
had never actually met.
- Yeah. I mean, that'’s true.
- That seemed to be the thing
that really bugged her
the most, I think.
- Yeah. And it was stupid.
Made me feel kind of bad.
I'’m not that type of guy.
You know, I don'’t keep secrets,
but,
you know, I didn'’t want her
to judge me, thinking like,
"Oh, he never met her,"
like, you know?
- That'’s what we figured.
- Yeah.
- Yeah. I mean,
it'’s a little embarrassing.
- It is.
- Right. Yeah.
- A little white lie
just made things very bad.
- Right.
- Why don'’t we sit down?
- Yeah.
We have a lot to talk about.
- Yeah.
- All right.
Obviously, we started
with Alyssa'’s Facebook page.
There'’s a picture here,
which I'’m sure you'’ve seen,
of her laying down
next to a grave.
- Yeah.
- Now, what did she say
about this picture?
- We didn'’t talk about
this picture in particular,
but I'’d like
to see what it says.
Like, is there any way
we can rotate it?
- Well, yeah.
So this is what we did.
So we looked at this photo,
and we turned it over,
and it says, "Charles [bleep]."
Now had you ever--you had never
looked that close
at that picture?
- No.
- So we did a Google search
for "Charles [bleep],"
and sure enough,
we found an obituary.
First thing it says is,
"He was survived
by his father Charles,
sister Carrie,
niece Alyssa [bleep]."
Which, obviously,
rings a bell...
- Yeah.
- But it says, "Alyssa [bleep]."
- Never heard that name.
- We did a search,
and this is what we found.
She'’s married.
- What the [bleep]?
She'’s married.
- I want to just
make sure you get that.
- Right.
What do you mean?
- See, you'’re thinking,
"Oh, my God, this girl
that'’s been talking
to me is married,"
and you'’re trying
to work that out,
but this is not the person
you'’re talking to.
- Okay.
All right.
So did you find out
who this really is?
- Well, we'’re getting there.
- We actually reached out
to this girl.
- Right.
We video chatted with her.
- Oh, no [bleep]? Let'’s see.
- Yeah.
So, you'’ve never talked to or
heard of a guy named Vince?
- No.
It actually doesn'’t surprise me
that someone'’s
using my pictures,
'’cause it'’s happened
to me before.
- ♪ What have you done to me
♪ In my dreams
- What the [bleep]?
- That'’s crazy.
- Yeah.
- Can we take a break?
- Sure, man.
- Let'’s take a break.
- I don'’t know anyone
in Cincinnati.
♪
- I mean, look,
I don'’t have anything
to say to you that'’s gonna
make this better.
This sucks.
Don'’t feel bad
that someone lied to you.
That'’s not your fault.
- Right.
I just don'’t know what to feel.
I just want to know, like,
who she really is and, you know,
what'’s really going on.
- Why don'’t we go back in?
You'’re gonna get
some answers right now.
- Yeah.
All right.
- The only real hard evidence
that we have
that we know links directly
to the girl you were talking to
is her phone number.
- Right. That'’s the constant.
- So obviously
you'’ve got to search
the number--who it belongs to.
- Look who it comes up
registered to.
- Miranda.
- The "cousin" who'’s been
texting you
from Alyssa'’s phone, right?
- Right.
- So it looks like the person
you'’ve been talking to
for the past two years
and the girl
who drove a wedge
between you and Liz is Miranda.
- This is Alyssa?
Miranda is Alyssa?
- It would appear that way.
- Yeah.
- So, yeah,
I would like to, you know,
confront her.
Ask her why she lied to me.
Why would she--I mean,
why couldn'’t she tell me?
- I'’m gonna go give her a call.
- All right.
Sounds good.
[suspenseful music]
[phone dialing]
- Hi.
This is Nev.
I'’m looking for Miranda.
- Okay.
Well, I don'’t know
if you are familiar
with the show "Catfish,"
but I am one of the hosts.
- Okay, cool.
Well, we'’re here in Ohio
with a guy named Vince.
- Right.
So what we'’ve done,
in the last day,
is pretty much determine
that your name
is not, in fact, Alyssa,
and that you'’re a girl
named Miranda.
- I'’m not--it'’s not a question
so much as a statement.
- What'’s going
through your head?
- I feel...
I feel so stupid.
- Love can be blinding.
- If you agree
to meet up with us,
you can explain yourself.
- I don'’t see
how that'’s relevant.
- I just don'’t know
what to feel, man.
Obviously it'’s over.
Like, I know that I would never
have a relationship with Alyssa.
- But this wasn'’t
about you having a relationship
with Alyssa, was it?
- It'’s just--no.
I just wanted
to end it, you know?
I just wanted
to get back together with Liz.
- I think Vince deserves
to hear from you
what'’s been going
on the last three years.
So if you'’re okay
with us driving
and meeting you tomorrow
in Indiana, we will do that.
- All right.
Great.
Thank you.
[rock music]
♪
- So there'’s, like,
so many emotions
going through me right now.
I'’m still soaking
in what happened.
- ♪ Feeling so low
♪ Out on my own
- She'’s probably super nervous.
- I can'’t wait to look
her eye-to-eye and say,
"Miranda, you sit
on a throne of lies."
[laughs]
- ♪ Don'’t follow ♪
- Well, we made it.
What happened?
- Alyssa said,
"Are you really coming
to Indiana?" and I said,
"Yeah, absolutely,"
and she said,
"I'’m staying
at a friend'’s house."
- So she texted you
an address...
- Yeah.
- And told you to come
in the morning?
- Exactly.
- All right.
So we'’re on.
- What'’s up?
How'’s it going?
- Hey, brother.
- Come on in.
- All right.
How do you feel?
- I'’m ready to go meet her.
She needs to explain herself
for what she did.
- This girl and her antics
have taken a major toll
on your life, right?
- Yeah.
I'’m being mentally abused
and manipulated.
- You want to shoot her a text
and tell her
we'’ll head over there soon?
- Yeah, absolutely. Okay.
- Okay. So, yeah, grab--
- Let'’s go.
Let'’s go get this done.
- Confrontation time.
- We'’re very close now.
Looks like I got to turn down
this dirt road
called Grave Street.
- Feel real comfortable.
- Yeah.
This feels like the scene
out of a horror movie.
- Yeah, I know.
Will we ever come back?
- I think this is it.
This...
- Looks like the place.
- Whoever you'’ve been
talking to has been
calling you from this house.
- All right.
Let'’s go.
[suspenseful music]
♪
- This looks like it'’s sort
of boarded up.
- So...walk around to the side?
- Yeah, let'’s try it.
Wait here for a minute.
I'’m gonna knock.
- Let'’s do this.
- This is so weird.
All the windows are,
like, blacked out.
- Really?
- Yeah.
- [exhales]
[knocking on door]
[lock turning]
Hi. You must be Miranda.
- Yeah.
- Hi.
I'’m Nev.
Well, if you want
to come out here,
I'’ll introduce you to the guys.
♪
- Hi, Miranda.
- Hi.
- Why did you--
why did you lead me on?
- Um, it'’s hard
to talk to somebody as myself.
So behind a screen,
it'’s easier to talk to people.
I didn'’t do any of this
to hurt you at all,
and I'’m pretty sure
you are hurt,
and I'’m sorry.
- You caused Liz and I
to break up
because she felt like
she couldn'’t trust me anymore.
So not only did you hurt me,
but you hurt her, as well.
- I do feel bad,
and that'’s why I agreed
to meet you guys.
- Is anything you told me true?
- Yeah.
Everything I'’ve told you is true
except for, of course,
the pictures.
- Does that mean
that your mother recently
passed away from breast cancer?
- That part--no,
that part was not true.
I said that--
- Well, that'’s a huge--
- So then everything'’s not true?
- Well, the p--that part.
I said that--
- Well, did you have cancer?
- No.
- You came out here
and said, "Everything
I said was true
except for the pictures,"
and now it turns out most
of what you said wasn'’t true.
- I thought you meant,
like, the whole entire--
- Why, when he started
dating Liz,
did you try so hard
to break into that relationship
and cause havoc?
You know he'’s in a relationship.
You know he just wants
to be a friend to you.
That'’s the story
that he told us.
- Well, you know,
I might have lied about stuff
and everything,
but he'’s not innocent.
He has flirted me ever since
he has been dating Liz,
and I have text messages
to prove that.
The things that he said
in his text message,
he shouldn'’t say that
if he has a girlfriend.
- What did he say
in his text messages?
- Well, he texted me, saying
something about
playing with his [bleep].
I have that on text message,
so you can'’t sit there
and say that you didn'’t send it.
- Did you text it to her?
- You might as well
tell the truth.
- I mean, yeah, like--
- You might as well
tell the truth, '’cause
they'’re going to see it.
- Yeah, I said--I said that,
but, like--
- Okay.
- While you were dating Liz.
He'’s told me that he would
break up with Liz for me.
Obviously he didn'’t tell
you guys that story.
- Nope.
- Whatever.
- But, like I said, I
didn'’t even--
- It'’s not "whatever."
If you have this girl
that you love so much
that you'’ve been
having a relationship with
for a year and a half,
like, why are you...
- Right.
- Sending pictures
of your [bleep]?
- I wasn'’t trying to get
any sexual conversation
out of you.
- Come on, Vince.
- Don'’t pretend--
and I won'’t either--
that you'’re holier
than any other guy ever.
- No. I mean, no, I'’m not.
- We'’re all the same here, okay?
- Yeah.
- We'’re--we all--
- Wait. Time out.
I don'’t do that [bleep].
Vince called us in...
- Yes. Yes.
- Under the--under--
- Just be realistic
for a second.
- Under the pretense
that he wanted
to get this girl the hell
out of his life.
- Right. Right.
- Because she'’s ruining
his relationship
with his girlfriend,
who he loves so much.
- Come on, man.
You'’re making me look like a
[bleep] ass [bleep].
Look--no--
- You'’re kind of making
yourself look pretty bad.
I mean, Liz had good reason
to have suspicions about
why you weren'’t blocking Alyssa.
- I wasn'’t trying to get back
in a relationship.
- You were.
- No, I wasn'’t.
- It was something on the side
that you wouldn'’t let
go of for Liz,
which is all she wanted.
- I mean, yeah.
I don'’t know.
- Why don'’t we go
back to the hotel,
and we'’ll
be in touch with you...
- Yeah, that'’s fine.
- And figure out another time
to meet back up.
- All right.
- [sighs]
- ♪ You don'’t know me at all ♪
♪
- You had to know that she was
gonna bring that up.
- I understand.
I [bleep] up.
Like, I get that.
What are you trying to say?
- If you truly love somebody,
you'’ve got to not do anything
to compromise that.
That [bleep] will come out.
- ♪ You don'’t know me at all ♪
♪
- Maybe I should just
stay single.
- ♪ You don'’t know me at all ♪
- This episode of
"Catfish: The TV Show"
continues now.
[phone dialing]
- Hello?
- Hey, Vince.
I wanted to invite you over
to chat for a minute.
- Yeah. I'’ll see you guys soon.
- Hey.
- Hey.
- Hey. How'’s it going?
- Have you thought
about what happened yesterday?
- Yeah.
I slept on it last night.
I'’m man enough to admit
that I made a mistake.
- Have you had any communication
with Liz?
- Yes.
I said, "The truth is,
"I wasn'’t 100 with you
the whole relationship,
"and talking
to this so-called '’Alyssa'’
should have ended months ago."
- Did she respond to that?
- She did.
She said, "I'’m just done.
"I'’m ready to live my life.
"Lesson learned.
And get out of my life."
- [exhales]
- She doesn'’t want
any part of me.
- I'’m sorry, man.
- You know, it'’s hard.
- You did say yourself
yesterday, though, that,
like, maybe it'’s the right time
for you to be single
and just kind of--
- Yeah, pursue myself...
- Yeah.
- And just soul search.
So, I feel like I shouldn'’t
be present today
when you guys go
talk to Miranda,
because now it just
wouldn'’t matter to me at all.
I--you know, I just don'’t
want her in my life.
- Fair enough.
- We want to just go over--
just check in with her.
- Well, I hope you guys get
the answers you'’re looking for.
- Why don'’t we
say our final goodbyes?
- Well, I appreciate you guys.
- All right, dude.
[phone dialing]
- Hello?
- Hey, Miranda.
We would love to come over
and talk to you
for a little bit.
Is that cool?
- All right.
See you soon.
[suspenseful music]
♪
[knocking on door]
- Hello.
- Hi.
- It'’s a nice day.
We could hang outside.
- We'’re here today--
we want to meet you,
kind of the real you,
separate from the drama
of whatever Vince said
versus what you said.
I just kind of want
to know your full story.
- Um, okay, well,
going through school,
I always got picked on.
People would call me fat.
I wore a yellow jacket
to school,
and people would call
me a school bus.
If you'’re not skinny
or whatever around here,
you'’re not nothing.
I started doing fake accounts
when I was 14
to a guy from here.
We talked all the time,
phone calls and everything,
and then he found out.
- What did he say
when he found out?
- He cried.
I'’m pretty sure I destroyed him.
- If you know what it'’s like
to get bullied and hurt, like,
why do you want
to hurt other people?
- I mean, I don'’t mean
to hurt anybody.
- That'’s where I want
to push back a little bit.
If we can'’t help you
really identify
and understand the problem
here, you'’ll--
- Start a new page.
- Yeah.
- We want to help you find
an alternative way
to make yourself feel happy.
Because this is so easy
and you'’re so good at it,
it'’s gonna be hard
to stop doing it.
- Yeah.
Nobody cares.
Nobody cares to see
what it'’s like
when they say that stuff.
They don'’t care.
They think it'’s funny,
and it'’s not.
When I do fake accounts,
people see that,
"Hey, this girl'’s pretty.
This girl, you know,
has a great body."
I don'’t.
When people say stuff to me,
in my head,
I'’m reading these messages--
they'’re saying it to me.
So I feel better about myself.
It'’s so bad
that I have contacted
a guy that is in Miami
and--for plastic surgery.
I found him on Snapchat.
- Hey.
Slide over.
First of all,
do not trust
a weird plastic surgeon
that you found
on Snapchat from Miami.
[laughter]
Please, for the love of God,
do not go there, okay?
You'’ll end up in a bathtub
with your kidneys missing,
filled with ice, okay?
Do not go to Miami
to see this guy.
Secondly, the way you look--
the way anybody looks
doesn'’t fix
and change everything.
There are so many people
who will give you attention, and
will want to know you and have
something to do with you,
if you'’re contributing
meaningful,
positive things to the world.
- You know, we spoke
to the real Alyssa,
and she told us
that when she was 13 or 14,
she started getting a lot
of hate,
and people leaving
nasty comments
on her Facebook page about her,
and I don'’t know
if you'’ve seen
all the videos
that she'’s posted,
but there'’s one where she talks
about how she was so depressed
that she harmed herself.
- So even the girl
that you thought
was the pretty one
and that all the guys
would like, in real life--
- Does the same thing I do.
- Struggled with the same--
- In my eyes,
there'’s nothing wrong with her.
She'’s beautiful.
- But that'’s the point.
Everybody sees themselves
differently.
- Differently.
- You don'’t want
to be the kind of person
that hurts other people,
'’cause then that makes you
just like the people
that bullied you.
- Yeah.
- If you are sorry, truly sorry,
then you'’ll stop.
- That'’s what I want to do.
That'’s what I'’m going to do.
- Bring it in.
- ♪ Before you came around
♪ I was heading for
a small disaster ♪
- All right, you be good.
- I will.
- Okay.
- Bye, guys.
- Bye.
- ♪ I was ready
to blow me down ♪
- I have faith
she'’ll turn it around.
- She needs a fresh start,
and I really think
this could be it.
I think both of them
needed this to happen.
[phone dialing]
both: Hey.
- Hey, Miranda.
- Hey.
- I like your new haircut.
- Thanks.
- You'’re not with that doctor
off of Snapchat, are you?
- No. No.
- Have you spoken to Vince
at all?
- I have not reached out
to him,
and I haven'’t been
on any of my accounts.
- So no more catfishing?
- No more catfishing.
- Take care of yourself.
- Thank you.
- Bye, Miranda.
- Bye.
[rock music]
♪
[phone dialing]
both: Hey.
- How are you?
- I'’m doing good.
- Have you had any contact
with Vince?
- Hey, if you can figure out
how to get rid of things
that don'’t make you happy,
then you got to do it.
- [laughs]
- Oh, my God,
life is so much better.
- Are you thinking
about dating someone new?
- Really?
- Make sure he treats you right.
- All right.
Bye, Liz.
- Bye.
1032
00:40:36.
- Basically.
That was why Liz and I broke up.
- Whoa.
- I would see text messages
like, "I wish you were here
licking my [bleep]."
- This feels like the scene
out of a horror movie.
- Yeah, I know.
- All the windows are,
like, blacked out.
- Oh, yeah.
- Oh, yeah.
[laughter]
- Oh! Oh!
Oh!
- Amazing.
- Nice.
both: All right.
- Let'’s get serious.
- We'’ve got an email.
- "Please help.
My online ex is harassing me."
- "Hey, Nev and Max.
My name is Vince,
and I'’m from Hillsboro, Ohio.
I'’m writing you
because my ex-online girlfriend
just ruined
my real-life relationship."
Oh, my God.
"My ex Alyssa randomly friend
requested me in 2013.
"About a month later,
we started dating officially.
"We talked and texted
all the time,
"and we fell in love.
"I never tried
to video chat with her
"since I wanted our first time
meeting each other to be IRL,
"but I did try
to meet her 20 times,
"and she always had
an elaborate excuse.
"Still, things
were going great--that is,
until Alyssa got really jealous
and controlling."
- Mm. Mm.
- "She would start fights
for no reason.
After about a year,
"I finally broke things off.
"A few months after the breakup,
"she reached out to me
out of the blue.
"At that point, I had
a new girlfriend named Liz.
Alyssa was upset when she heard
that I was dating someone new."
- "Are you kidding me?
You'’re already
dating someone new?"
I'’m just putting in
some sound bites of, like,
what their real
relationship was like.
- "We decided
to give friendship a try
because we had shared so much
during the course
of our year-long relationship,
but Alyssa quickly
crossed the line."
- ♪ Give me your fire
- "She would call and text me
at all hours of the night,
"and eventually Alyssa
started to tell me
she loved me and wanted
to be with me."
- "I love you, and I want to be
with you, Vince."
- "Liz ended up getting involved
and tried several times
"to tell Alyssa to step back,
"but, in the end,
Liz started second-guessing
"how faithful I was to her,
and we broke up
just five days ago."
Oh, my God.
"I feel like Alyssa
has been haunting me.
"Please help me confront Alyssa
so I can tell her
that I want her
out of my life for good."
- ♪ Let your flames rise
- That'’s intense.
- That is intense.
What do you do when you'’ve got
someone who just won'’t let go?
- Let'’s call him.
[dialing]
Hey.
- Hey. There you are.
- How'’s it going?
- Good. How are you?
- Well, I'’m doing great.
- Are you?
- Didn'’t your girlfriend
just break up with you?
- Yeah, it seemed
like you'’re not doing so great.
- Well, no, but I'’m trying
to smile and have
a good attitude, so--
- Okay.
- You'’re in quite a predicament.
Tell us a little bit
about how this whole thing
with Alyssa started.
- Basically, Alyssa and I,
we started talking
in about 2013.
It was good
for about six months,
and then she, you know,
started getting controlling.
I tried to meet up
with her a lot of times.
She just always
had some excuse, like,
"Hey, I can'’t hang out
this weekend," or,
"I don'’t have the gas
money"--just bull[bleep].
- Where did Alyssa
say she lived?
- She said she lived
in Indiana.
It'’s like a three-hour drive.
- Tell us about how it'’s ruined
your real-life relationship
with Liz.
- After Alyssa
and I broke up,
I started talking to Liz,
and we hit it off,
and we were
in a great relationship,
going on for about a year
and a half.
I am madly in love
with that girl.
- You were dating her for a year
and a half?
- Yeah, a year and a half.
- Wow--and Alyssa
just broke that up?
- Yeah, Alyssa started
contacting me again,
saying, "I still love you.
I want to be with you,"
and I was trying
to give her the hint
I don'’t want a relationship,
and she still harassed me
and called me
at random times of the night,
two or three in the morning.
- As you could see
that it was really
hurting your relationship
with Liz, like,
why not just get
a new phone number?
- I did get a new number,
but she got my number somehow.
- This girl is stalking you.
- Basically.
The harassment continued,
and that was a big part
of why Liz and I broke up,
because Liz felt like,
since Alyssa was still
in the picture,
she couldn'’t trust me anymore.
- Hopefully we can figure out
who Alyssa is,
make it clear to her once
and for all
that you are not interested
in a relationship.
- Right.
- There might be
a happy ending here
if we can get you
back together with Liz.
- Awesome.
Yeah, I would love that.
- We'’ll see you tomorrow, then.
Later.
Even if she'’s exactly the person
she claims to be...
- Right.
- She'’s still being a B.
Because this guy has told her,
"I will be friends with you,
but I'’m in a relationship.
Please don'’t get
in the way of that,"
and she ignored it.
- Let'’s get to the bottom of it.
- ♪ If you have a problem
♪ Just get on the plane
and fly ♪
♪ Fly, fly, fly, you'’ll be
so glad you did that ♪
- Oh, is Max cold?
He needs his blanket.
♪
- Made it.
- We made it to Ohio.
Vince probably got catfished
a couple years ago.
- Mm-hmm.
- She broke his heart.
He moved on, but then
all of a sudden,
the catfish comes back.
- Just when you think
you'’re out,
the catfish reels you back in.
- Well, let'’s see what Vince
has to say for himself.
Oh, look at the cat.
I want to see this kitty.
Meow.
- Can you tell us
who the catfish is?
- Señor Gato?
[knocking on door]
- Hey.
- This guy.
- Hi.
- Looking cool.
- Come on in.
- Have a seat, my friend.
So, how you doing?
- I'’m star--I'’m just
trying to stay positive.
It'’s been
a rough couple days for me.
- So this really
happened five days ago--
- Yeah.
- Or six days ago, now?
- Yeah.
It still hurts.
I can'’t lie.
After we broke up, I said,
"I'’m still in love with you,"
and she said, "Yeah.
I'’m still in love with you too."
- So Liz, your girlfriend
of the last year
and a half, last week, says,
"I'’m having a hard time.
I don'’t feel
like I can trust you."
- Yeah.
She had an assumption
that I was going
behind her back
and doing something
I shouldn'’t be,
which--that wasn'’t
the case, you know?
I'’ve been honest with her.
- So you'’ve got to find out
who Alyssa is and get Liz back?
- Back. Yes.
I want my relationship
with Elizabeth
to work out--
I want to fix it.
- Okay, look, I think we need
to rewind a little bit.
Take us, step by step,
through the whole
last three years.
- Okay, so basically, in 2013,
Alyssa messaged me.
We start talking,
and we hit it off nicely.
I felt like we were both ready
to meet up and take it
to the next level.
So it was like,
"I'’m free this weekend.
Let'’s try to meet up."
She'’s like, "Yeah, sure,"
and then,
all of a sudden, she just said,
"I can'’t hang out with you."
- Did you, like, call her out
and say, like, "What the F?"
- No. You know,
I was like, "Okay."
You know, I'’ll forgive her
and we'’ll keep going forward,
and then, after that,
her mother actually
was diagnosed with breast cancer
and ultimately passed away.
- Were you kind
of holding Alyssa'’s hand
through all of this?
- Yeah, I was basically, like,
her support system
throughout all of this.
At one point,
Alyssa was actually
diagnosed with breast cancer,
and she went to the hospital
to get treatment.
- Whoa, so her mom got diagnosed
with breast cancer,
and then she got diagnosed
with breast cancer,
and then her mom died
of breast cancer?
- Yeah.
It was a rough time.
She was there for two
or three months.
- She was calling you
from the hospital?
- Yeah, basically.
Alyssa'’s cousin, Miranda,
was with Alyssa,
and she was, like,
there to update me.
- Was she texting you?
- Yeah.
She was actually texting me
from Alyssa'’s phone
when she was
going through chemotherapy
to give me updates
on her condition.
- At what point do you break up?
- She started controlling
the relationship.
It got to the point where she
would look through my Facebook
and tell me, like,
"Hey, you need
to block this person
because they'’re making
contact with you."
Which is very controlling.
- Whoa.
- She definitely
put me through hell.
So, I just felt
like it was a really good idea
for us to stop dating.
- At what point did Liz
come around?
- After three or four months,
I started talking to Elizabeth.
We went through
so much together.
We were dating for about
a year and a half,
and we ultimately broke up
because Alyssa was trying
to contact me over and over.
We lost a good thing.
I feel like after
we get some answers,
I can tell Alyssa
I don'’t want her
to be a part of my life anymore
so Liz and I can,
ultimately, get back together.
- Why don'’t you show us Alyssa?
- Yeah, absolutely.
You have to excuse my phone.
It'’s pretty beat-up.
- So this is Alyssa?
- Yeah, that'’s Alyssa.
- She looks nice.
- Good smile.
- All right, well,
I would like to talk to Liz.
Liz is obviously
a big part of the story.
- Yeah, absolutely.
- So if it'’s okay,
I'’d like to give her a call.
- Yeah, that'’s fine.
- So if we can get Liz'’s number
and everything else
that you have
about this whole crazy story,
we can actually start to see
if we can figure this out.
- Sounds great.
- My gut is it'’s a catfish.
- He fell for the cancer stuff.
- Right.
- He needs to see
for his own eyes
that Alyssa is lying to him.
- He needs to open his eyes.He ha--
- And see--and seeing
Alyssa will do that,
but he might lose
Liz either way.
- There'’s a lot riding on this.
- These hands are dry.
I need some mega-rich
moisturizer.
- You don'’t do anything
with your hands.
- I hold the camera.
- That'’s it.
- I write down notes.
- You don'’t write down notes.
- I do write down the notes.
- All right.
We got a little
investigation chamber.
Vince meets
Alyssa three years ago.
Very quickly,
they fall in love.
Eventually, Alyssa starts
to get really controlling
and becomes incredibly jealous.
They break up.
Vince starts dating Liz...
- Yeah.
- But then--
- Alyssa starts, like,
texting and calling Vince at,
like, strange hours of the day.
- Yeah, all the time.
- Kind of turns into, like,
"Fatal Attraction."
- Yeah.
- Except for the fact that,
up until five days ago,
Vince has a girlfriend
that he'’s with all the time.
Liz.
- Right.
- All right. Let'’s dive in.
- Here'’s his email.
"I know she lives
in Jasper, Indiana."
"Alyssa'’s cousin'’s
name is Miranda [bleep]."
- "If you guys
want to talk to Liz,
she works nights,
so she might not answer."
Well, if she works nights,
we should call her first.
- Okay.
[phone dialing]
- Hey, Liz.
It'’s Nev and Max.
We make a show called "Catfish."
We'’d like to talk to you.
Please give me a call back.
Okay, thank you.
All right, I'’d like to start
with Alyssa'’s Facebook page.
Alyssa Johnson.
This says something.
- What does that say? "Damaren"?
- "Bramento"?
- "Dramento"--"Cramento"--
Sacramento!
- Something--Sacramento.
- Sacramento!
- We got a lead.
- We got a lead.
She'’s wearing
a Sacramento shirt.
- Whoa, whoa, whoa, what'’s this?
Here'’s a picture of her laying
next to a tombstone.
- And it says--
- "Woolsey"?
- "Charles [bleep] II."
- See if that'’s a--who that is.
- Sacramento--look, Charles[bleep].
Yeah, that'’s what it was.
- Here'’s an obituary.
"Our beloved son,
Charles [bleep],
passed away peacefully
on July 13th.
He is survived
by his father Charles,
sister Carrie,
niece Alyssa [bleep].
- Who is Alyssa [bleep]?
- I don'’t know.
Different last name.
All right,
let'’s look up Alyssa [bleep].
Whoa.
- You found it.
You found it.
Same pictures.
- Same pictures--married
to Robert [bleep].
- She lives in Sacramento...
- Right.
- And she'’s married.
- Whoever'’s doing
this created a profile
using her pictures and her name.
Oh, wait.
There are some videos.
- I started self-harming
when I was 13.
It was a very,
very hard time for me
and a very dark time.
I get so much
Internet negativity--
constantly getting hate.
I just genuinely
hated myself so much.
- Oh, man.
It'’s a terrible story.
Should we send her a message?
- Yeah, I think we need
to reach out to her.
- Okay.
So now let'’s look up
the phone number of the girl
that he is talking to.
- Miranda [bleep].
Miranda!
- Yeah! We proved it.
- Oh, my God.
- It'’s Miranda'’s phone.
- So it'’s the cousin.
Well, here'’s her Facebook page.
- Whoa.
- It'’s Alyssa.
- Okay, okay.
Wow, wow, wow.
- Hi, guys.
both: Hi.
- What'’s up?
- I really love the show.
Like, I watch it
all the time,
but it actually
doesn'’t surprise me
that someone'’s
using my pictures,
'’cause it'’s happened
to me before.
- That'’s crazy.
- Yeah.
- So we'’re in Cincinnati
because there'’s a guy
here who had, like,
a full-on relationship
with a girl named Alyssa
who was using your photos.
- Wow.
- So you'’ve never talked to
or heard of a guy
named Vince [bleep]?
- No.
I don'’t know
anyone in Cincinnati.
- Do you know a girl
named Miranda?
- No, I don'’t.
- Okay.
One other thing--
we watched a video
you posted from a while ago
where you were talking about
how you experienced
a lot of bullying
and you were involved
in some self-harm.
Has that all gone away
or are you still
dealing with that?
- I actually stopped when I met
Robert, my husband.
He showed me
that that isn'’t the answer
and there'’s better ways
to handle that kind of thing.
- Well, this has been
extremely helpful.
- Oh, okay. Good.
I'’m glad I could help.
- Yeah.
Thank you so much, Alyssa.
All right, see you later.
- Bye.
- Okay. Bye.
- Now that we know he'’s not
talking to a girl named Alyssa,
and the girl in the pictures
isn'’t the girl in the picture--
[text message ding]
Oh!
Oh, we got a text.
- Oh, we got a message.
"Hey, guys.
I got your message,
but I'’m at work at the moment."
- Ugh.
When--should I ask her
when she'’ll be free?
- Yeah. Oh!
- "I can meet at a coffee shop
in the morning."
- All right.
- Okay. That'’s fine.
- So we can still meet her
before going to see Vince.
- "Okay, cool.
Thanks."
- She'’ll be able
to tell us stuff
about Vince...
- Right.
- And about
what their relationship is like,
which I'’m sure
is a little different
from his telling of it.
- Right.
- We know Miranda is the person.
- He'’s talk--whoever he'’s
talking to,
her name is Miranda...
- Right.
- And is this her?
Probably.
- We solved it.
Good investigation.
- We'’re going to meet Liz,
the very recent ex-girlfriend.
- This should be interesting,
'’cause Liz'’s life
has been dramatically
affected by Alyssa also.
All right.
[light rock music]
- Whoa.
I like the combination
of bikes and coffee.
Hello.
- Hey.
- You must be Liz. I'’m Max.
- Hi, Max. Nice to meet you.
- Nice to meet you.
- Hey.
- Hi.
- Nev. Good to meet you.
- Nice to meet you.
- Should we sit down?
- Thank you for meeting up
with us on such short notice.
Obviously, you know
what we'’re doing here.
- Right.
- We want your take
on this whole situation--
your side of the story.
- Well, I'’ve known Vince
for about three
and a half years now.
We started talking as friends,
and then we got together,
but Alyssa didn'’t get
out of his life.
She was always
in this relationship.
- So Alyssa was always this,
like, third person
in your relationship?
- Always. Always.
Why is Alyssa still involved?
I should be the only girl
that you'’re talking to.
She was, like, you know,
texting him and stuff,
and I would see
text messages like,
"I wish you were here
licking my [bleep]."
How am I supposed
to react to this?
- Really?
- Yes.
- Wow.
And she knows he'’s
in a relationship?
- Yeah.
She'’s making me crazy,
and then her cousin
gets involved, too,
and starts talking
to me--Miranda.
It'’s like, "Hey,
how are you doing?
How are you and Vince?"
As soon as she said that,
I was like, "Boom.
You really don'’t have
to talk to me."
That was it,
and it was cut off.
She never texted me back
to this day.
- How did we get from that
to you guys breaking up?
- Well, it was just
this past Monday.
We just broke up.
- This week?
- Yeah.
That'’s why, like, I'’m
really emotional about this.
He told me, "I'’m
gonna be '’Catfish.'’"
I didn'’t understand why.
I thought he met Alyssa.
I thought he knew Alyssa.
- So you never realized
that he had never met her?
- He lied to me
this whole relationship.
I'’m sorry.
I didn'’t know this whole time.
- Vince told you that he had
dated her in real life?
- And met her
and all this stuff.
From what the stories
he told me.
- Multiple stories about meeting
and being with her?
- Like, he told me,
like, he went
to her aunt'’s house,
and her aunt'’s house is nice,
and all of it'’s a lie.
I do love him.
I'’m just disappointed in him.
How can you love them
and never have met them?
- Welcome to our world.
- There is a--there is a stigma
and an embarrassment
that a lot of people feel when
they'’ve never met the person.
So to some extent, like,
I give him a pass on that.
I think it'’s worth just
putting in your mind
the idea that
a lot of the decisions
and mistakes
that Vince has made, in terms
of your relationship with him,
I think, have been, sadly,
very influenced by
this dark manipulative force
that'’s been in his life
for the past three years.
- Yeah.
- He'’s really
been taken advantage of
and hurt by this,
probably much more
than he'’s let on
to any of us,
but you especially.
So just don'’t write him off.
I think you guys
might make this work.
- Okay. Thank you.
- All right.
So we'’re gonna go over
to Vince'’s.
You'’ll hear either from us
or him soon,
depending on how all this goes.
Okay.
See you later.
- Bye.
- Bye, Liz.
- Thanks for meeting us.
Well, that was pretty intense.
- Yeah.
- The really sad part
is that he felt
like he had to lie
about having met her.
- Yeah.
- ♪ Oh, I should have known
- I understand the shame
and being like, "Yeah,
"I'’m so attached
and can'’t get rid of this girl
that I'’ve never
me--actually met."
- Right.Right.
- Whoever'’s behind "Alyssa"
has caused
some serious pain
and turmoil
to not just Vince,
but Liz as well.
[suspenseful music]
♪
- Hello.
- Hey, how'’s it going?
- Hey, Vince.
- Come on in.
- You know, we just came
from talking to Liz.
- And how was that?
- We ju--we just
sort of said, "Hey,
tell us your version
of what'’s going on."
- Right.
- She didn'’t know
for the whole time
that you guys were dating
that you and Alyssa
had never actually met.
- Yeah. I mean, that'’s true.
- That seemed to be the thing
that really bugged her
the most, I think.
- Yeah. And it was stupid.
Made me feel kind of bad.
I'’m not that type of guy.
You know, I don'’t keep secrets,
but,
you know, I didn'’t want her
to judge me, thinking like,
"Oh, he never met her,"
like, you know?
- That'’s what we figured.
- Yeah.
- Yeah. I mean,
it'’s a little embarrassing.
- It is.
- Right. Yeah.
- A little white lie
just made things very bad.
- Right.
- Why don'’t we sit down?
- Yeah.
We have a lot to talk about.
- Yeah.
- All right.
Obviously, we started
with Alyssa'’s Facebook page.
There'’s a picture here,
which I'’m sure you'’ve seen,
of her laying down
next to a grave.
- Yeah.
- Now, what did she say
about this picture?
- We didn'’t talk about
this picture in particular,
but I'’d like
to see what it says.
Like, is there any way
we can rotate it?
- Well, yeah.
So this is what we did.
So we looked at this photo,
and we turned it over,
and it says, "Charles [bleep]."
Now had you ever--you had never
looked that close
at that picture?
- No.
- So we did a Google search
for "Charles [bleep],"
and sure enough,
we found an obituary.
First thing it says is,
"He was survived
by his father Charles,
sister Carrie,
niece Alyssa [bleep]."
Which, obviously,
rings a bell...
- Yeah.
- But it says, "Alyssa [bleep]."
- Never heard that name.
- We did a search,
and this is what we found.
She'’s married.
- What the [bleep]?
She'’s married.
- I want to just
make sure you get that.
- Right.
What do you mean?
- See, you'’re thinking,
"Oh, my God, this girl
that'’s been talking
to me is married,"
and you'’re trying
to work that out,
but this is not the person
you'’re talking to.
- Okay.
All right.
So did you find out
who this really is?
- Well, we'’re getting there.
- We actually reached out
to this girl.
- Right.
We video chatted with her.
- Oh, no [bleep]? Let'’s see.
- Yeah.
So, you'’ve never talked to or
heard of a guy named Vince?
- No.
It actually doesn'’t surprise me
that someone'’s
using my pictures,
'’cause it'’s happened
to me before.
- ♪ What have you done to me
♪ In my dreams
- What the [bleep]?
- That'’s crazy.
- Yeah.
- Can we take a break?
- Sure, man.
- Let'’s take a break.
- I don'’t know anyone
in Cincinnati.
♪
- I mean, look,
I don'’t have anything
to say to you that'’s gonna
make this better.
This sucks.
Don'’t feel bad
that someone lied to you.
That'’s not your fault.
- Right.
I just don'’t know what to feel.
I just want to know, like,
who she really is and, you know,
what'’s really going on.
- Why don'’t we go back in?
You'’re gonna get
some answers right now.
- Yeah.
All right.
- The only real hard evidence
that we have
that we know links directly
to the girl you were talking to
is her phone number.
- Right. That'’s the constant.
- So obviously
you'’ve got to search
the number--who it belongs to.
- Look who it comes up
registered to.
- Miranda.
- The "cousin" who'’s been
texting you
from Alyssa'’s phone, right?
- Right.
- So it looks like the person
you'’ve been talking to
for the past two years
and the girl
who drove a wedge
between you and Liz is Miranda.
- This is Alyssa?
Miranda is Alyssa?
- It would appear that way.
- Yeah.
- So, yeah,
I would like to, you know,
confront her.
Ask her why she lied to me.
Why would she--I mean,
why couldn'’t she tell me?
- I'’m gonna go give her a call.
- All right.
Sounds good.
[suspenseful music]
[phone dialing]
- Hi.
This is Nev.
I'’m looking for Miranda.
- Okay.
Well, I don'’t know
if you are familiar
with the show "Catfish,"
but I am one of the hosts.
- Okay, cool.
Well, we'’re here in Ohio
with a guy named Vince.
- Right.
So what we'’ve done,
in the last day,
is pretty much determine
that your name
is not, in fact, Alyssa,
and that you'’re a girl
named Miranda.
- I'’m not--it'’s not a question
so much as a statement.
- What'’s going
through your head?
- I feel...
I feel so stupid.
- Love can be blinding.
- If you agree
to meet up with us,
you can explain yourself.
- I don'’t see
how that'’s relevant.
- I just don'’t know
what to feel, man.
Obviously it'’s over.
Like, I know that I would never
have a relationship with Alyssa.
- But this wasn'’t
about you having a relationship
with Alyssa, was it?
- It'’s just--no.
I just wanted
to end it, you know?
I just wanted
to get back together with Liz.
- I think Vince deserves
to hear from you
what'’s been going
on the last three years.
So if you'’re okay
with us driving
and meeting you tomorrow
in Indiana, we will do that.
- All right.
Great.
Thank you.
[rock music]
♪
- So there'’s, like,
so many emotions
going through me right now.
I'’m still soaking
in what happened.
- ♪ Feeling so low
♪ Out on my own
- She'’s probably super nervous.
- I can'’t wait to look
her eye-to-eye and say,
"Miranda, you sit
on a throne of lies."
[laughs]
- ♪ Don'’t follow ♪
- Well, we made it.
What happened?
- Alyssa said,
"Are you really coming
to Indiana?" and I said,
"Yeah, absolutely,"
and she said,
"I'’m staying
at a friend'’s house."
- So she texted you
an address...
- Yeah.
- And told you to come
in the morning?
- Exactly.
- All right.
So we'’re on.
- What'’s up?
How'’s it going?
- Hey, brother.
- Come on in.
- All right.
How do you feel?
- I'’m ready to go meet her.
She needs to explain herself
for what she did.
- This girl and her antics
have taken a major toll
on your life, right?
- Yeah.
I'’m being mentally abused
and manipulated.
- You want to shoot her a text
and tell her
we'’ll head over there soon?
- Yeah, absolutely. Okay.
- Okay. So, yeah, grab--
- Let'’s go.
Let'’s go get this done.
- Confrontation time.
- We'’re very close now.
Looks like I got to turn down
this dirt road
called Grave Street.
- Feel real comfortable.
- Yeah.
This feels like the scene
out of a horror movie.
- Yeah, I know.
Will we ever come back?
- I think this is it.
This...
- Looks like the place.
- Whoever you'’ve been
talking to has been
calling you from this house.
- All right.
Let'’s go.
[suspenseful music]
♪
- This looks like it'’s sort
of boarded up.
- So...walk around to the side?
- Yeah, let'’s try it.
Wait here for a minute.
I'’m gonna knock.
- Let'’s do this.
- This is so weird.
All the windows are,
like, blacked out.
- Really?
- Yeah.
- [exhales]
[knocking on door]
[lock turning]
Hi. You must be Miranda.
- Yeah.
- Hi.
I'’m Nev.
Well, if you want
to come out here,
I'’ll introduce you to the guys.
♪
- Hi, Miranda.
- Hi.
- Why did you--
why did you lead me on?
- Um, it'’s hard
to talk to somebody as myself.
So behind a screen,
it'’s easier to talk to people.
I didn'’t do any of this
to hurt you at all,
and I'’m pretty sure
you are hurt,
and I'’m sorry.
- You caused Liz and I
to break up
because she felt like
she couldn'’t trust me anymore.
So not only did you hurt me,
but you hurt her, as well.
- I do feel bad,
and that'’s why I agreed
to meet you guys.
- Is anything you told me true?
- Yeah.
Everything I'’ve told you is true
except for, of course,
the pictures.
- Does that mean
that your mother recently
passed away from breast cancer?
- That part--no,
that part was not true.
I said that--
- Well, that'’s a huge--
- So then everything'’s not true?
- Well, the p--that part.
I said that--
- Well, did you have cancer?
- No.
- You came out here
and said, "Everything
I said was true
except for the pictures,"
and now it turns out most
of what you said wasn'’t true.
- I thought you meant,
like, the whole entire--
- Why, when he started
dating Liz,
did you try so hard
to break into that relationship
and cause havoc?
You know he'’s in a relationship.
You know he just wants
to be a friend to you.
That'’s the story
that he told us.
- Well, you know,
I might have lied about stuff
and everything,
but he'’s not innocent.
He has flirted me ever since
he has been dating Liz,
and I have text messages
to prove that.
The things that he said
in his text message,
he shouldn'’t say that
if he has a girlfriend.
- What did he say
in his text messages?
- Well, he texted me, saying
something about
playing with his [bleep].
I have that on text message,
so you can'’t sit there
and say that you didn'’t send it.
- Did you text it to her?
- You might as well
tell the truth.
- I mean, yeah, like--
- You might as well
tell the truth, '’cause
they'’re going to see it.
- Yeah, I said--I said that,
but, like--
- Okay.
- While you were dating Liz.
He'’s told me that he would
break up with Liz for me.
Obviously he didn'’t tell
you guys that story.
- Nope.
- Whatever.
- But, like I said, I
didn'’t even--
- It'’s not "whatever."
If you have this girl
that you love so much
that you'’ve been
having a relationship with
for a year and a half,
like, why are you...
- Right.
- Sending pictures
of your [bleep]?
- I wasn'’t trying to get
any sexual conversation
out of you.
- Come on, Vince.
- Don'’t pretend--
and I won'’t either--
that you'’re holier
than any other guy ever.
- No. I mean, no, I'’m not.
- We'’re all the same here, okay?
- Yeah.
- We'’re--we all--
- Wait. Time out.
I don'’t do that [bleep].
Vince called us in...
- Yes. Yes.
- Under the--under--
- Just be realistic
for a second.
- Under the pretense
that he wanted
to get this girl the hell
out of his life.
- Right. Right.
- Because she'’s ruining
his relationship
with his girlfriend,
who he loves so much.
- Come on, man.
You'’re making me look like a
[bleep] ass [bleep].
Look--no--
- You'’re kind of making
yourself look pretty bad.
I mean, Liz had good reason
to have suspicions about
why you weren'’t blocking Alyssa.
- I wasn'’t trying to get back
in a relationship.
- You were.
- No, I wasn'’t.
- It was something on the side
that you wouldn'’t let
go of for Liz,
which is all she wanted.
- I mean, yeah.
I don'’t know.
- Why don'’t we go
back to the hotel,
and we'’ll
be in touch with you...
- Yeah, that'’s fine.
- And figure out another time
to meet back up.
- All right.
- [sighs]
- ♪ You don'’t know me at all ♪
♪
- You had to know that she was
gonna bring that up.
- I understand.
I [bleep] up.
Like, I get that.
What are you trying to say?
- If you truly love somebody,
you'’ve got to not do anything
to compromise that.
That [bleep] will come out.
- ♪ You don'’t know me at all ♪
♪
- Maybe I should just
stay single.
- ♪ You don'’t know me at all ♪
- This episode of
"Catfish: The TV Show"
continues now.
[phone dialing]
- Hello?
- Hey, Vince.
I wanted to invite you over
to chat for a minute.
- Yeah. I'’ll see you guys soon.
- Hey.
- Hey.
- Hey. How'’s it going?
- Have you thought
about what happened yesterday?
- Yeah.
I slept on it last night.
I'’m man enough to admit
that I made a mistake.
- Have you had any communication
with Liz?
- Yes.
I said, "The truth is,
"I wasn'’t 100 with you
the whole relationship,
"and talking
to this so-called '’Alyssa'’
should have ended months ago."
- Did she respond to that?
- She did.
She said, "I'’m just done.
"I'’m ready to live my life.
"Lesson learned.
And get out of my life."
- [exhales]
- She doesn'’t want
any part of me.
- I'’m sorry, man.
- You know, it'’s hard.
- You did say yourself
yesterday, though, that,
like, maybe it'’s the right time
for you to be single
and just kind of--
- Yeah, pursue myself...
- Yeah.
- And just soul search.
So, I feel like I shouldn'’t
be present today
when you guys go
talk to Miranda,
because now it just
wouldn'’t matter to me at all.
I--you know, I just don'’t
want her in my life.
- Fair enough.
- We want to just go over--
just check in with her.
- Well, I hope you guys get
the answers you'’re looking for.
- Why don'’t we
say our final goodbyes?
- Well, I appreciate you guys.
- All right, dude.
[phone dialing]
- Hello?
- Hey, Miranda.
We would love to come over
and talk to you
for a little bit.
Is that cool?
- All right.
See you soon.
[suspenseful music]
♪
[knocking on door]
- Hello.
- Hi.
- It'’s a nice day.
We could hang outside.
- We'’re here today--
we want to meet you,
kind of the real you,
separate from the drama
of whatever Vince said
versus what you said.
I just kind of want
to know your full story.
- Um, okay, well,
going through school,
I always got picked on.
People would call me fat.
I wore a yellow jacket
to school,
and people would call
me a school bus.
If you'’re not skinny
or whatever around here,
you'’re not nothing.
I started doing fake accounts
when I was 14
to a guy from here.
We talked all the time,
phone calls and everything,
and then he found out.
- What did he say
when he found out?
- He cried.
I'’m pretty sure I destroyed him.
- If you know what it'’s like
to get bullied and hurt, like,
why do you want
to hurt other people?
- I mean, I don'’t mean
to hurt anybody.
- That'’s where I want
to push back a little bit.
If we can'’t help you
really identify
and understand the problem
here, you'’ll--
- Start a new page.
- Yeah.
- We want to help you find
an alternative way
to make yourself feel happy.
Because this is so easy
and you'’re so good at it,
it'’s gonna be hard
to stop doing it.
- Yeah.
Nobody cares.
Nobody cares to see
what it'’s like
when they say that stuff.
They don'’t care.
They think it'’s funny,
and it'’s not.
When I do fake accounts,
people see that,
"Hey, this girl'’s pretty.
This girl, you know,
has a great body."
I don'’t.
When people say stuff to me,
in my head,
I'’m reading these messages--
they'’re saying it to me.
So I feel better about myself.
It'’s so bad
that I have contacted
a guy that is in Miami
and--for plastic surgery.
I found him on Snapchat.
- Hey.
Slide over.
First of all,
do not trust
a weird plastic surgeon
that you found
on Snapchat from Miami.
[laughter]
Please, for the love of God,
do not go there, okay?
You'’ll end up in a bathtub
with your kidneys missing,
filled with ice, okay?
Do not go to Miami
to see this guy.
Secondly, the way you look--
the way anybody looks
doesn'’t fix
and change everything.
There are so many people
who will give you attention, and
will want to know you and have
something to do with you,
if you'’re contributing
meaningful,
positive things to the world.
- You know, we spoke
to the real Alyssa,
and she told us
that when she was 13 or 14,
she started getting a lot
of hate,
and people leaving
nasty comments
on her Facebook page about her,
and I don'’t know
if you'’ve seen
all the videos
that she'’s posted,
but there'’s one where she talks
about how she was so depressed
that she harmed herself.
- So even the girl
that you thought
was the pretty one
and that all the guys
would like, in real life--
- Does the same thing I do.
- Struggled with the same--
- In my eyes,
there'’s nothing wrong with her.
She'’s beautiful.
- But that'’s the point.
Everybody sees themselves
differently.
- Differently.
- You don'’t want
to be the kind of person
that hurts other people,
'’cause then that makes you
just like the people
that bullied you.
- Yeah.
- If you are sorry, truly sorry,
then you'’ll stop.
- That'’s what I want to do.
That'’s what I'’m going to do.
- Bring it in.
- ♪ Before you came around
♪ I was heading for
a small disaster ♪
- All right, you be good.
- I will.
- Okay.
- Bye, guys.
- Bye.
- ♪ I was ready
to blow me down ♪
- I have faith
she'’ll turn it around.
- She needs a fresh start,
and I really think
this could be it.
I think both of them
needed this to happen.
[phone dialing]
both: Hey.
- Hey, Miranda.
- Hey.
- I like your new haircut.
- Thanks.
- You'’re not with that doctor
off of Snapchat, are you?
- No. No.
- Have you spoken to Vince
at all?
- I have not reached out
to him,
and I haven'’t been
on any of my accounts.
- So no more catfishing?
- No more catfishing.
- Take care of yourself.
- Thank you.
- Bye, Miranda.
- Bye.
[rock music]
♪
[phone dialing]
both: Hey.
- How are you?
- I'’m doing good.
- Have you had any contact
with Vince?
- Hey, if you can figure out
how to get rid of things
that don'’t make you happy,
then you got to do it.
- [laughs]
- Oh, my God,
life is so much better.
- Are you thinking
about dating someone new?
- Really?
- Make sure he treats you right.
- All right.
Bye, Liz.
- Bye.
1032
00:40:36.