Catfish: The TV Show (2012–…): Season 6, Episode 8 - Ari & Lanum - full transcript
Nev and Max receive emails from opposite sides of the same online romance, each concerned that the other may be a catfish. The guys are taken aback when one side decides to follow through with their marriage plans.
- He told me his brother
had died in a car crash.
The next day I find out that his
brother had died from cancer.
- What?
Come on, Ari.
Sounds bogus.
both: Oh!
- Ho!
- We got a hit!
- This is getting weird.
What if Lanum is real?
- We could have
a real love story.
- I'’m very nervous.
He'’s asked me for my ring size.
- Really?
[knocks on door]
[dramatic music]
[exhales]
This is crazy.
- So, we'’re gonna start
this episode off
with a little gift for you.
- Really?
- Yeah.
- With a little Christmas cheer.
[laughs]
- I'’m Santa Claus.
Oh, my God.
Look at this.
It'’s a "Catfish" onesie
with "Cleo" on the back.
[both laugh]
- For Cleo,
your lovely daughter.
- Thanks, buddy.
All right, let'’s get to work.
We got an email.
- We got an email.
But wait, it'’s from Mike.
This is Mike from casting.
- Well, that'’s weird.
"I was about to forward you
"the latest application email
"when I noticed something weird.
"There are actually two emails
"pertaining to
the same relationship,
"but they'’re
from different people.
"Both have concerns
of the other being a catfish.
"Both emails are below.
Let me know
if you have any questions.
Good luck."
- Two sides think
they'’re being catfished.
- Wow.
All right, here'’s the first one.
"Dear Nev and Max,
I am Jeffrey [bleep].
"I don'’t know
who else to turn to.
"I believe my brother Lanum is
being catfished.
"He'’s been dating this girl
named Ari for a few months,
"but they'’ve never met.
"Is there any way
you can find out
"if this woman is real.
Please help me.
Jeff."
- Where are they, these guys?
- Unclear.
I guess we have to reach out.
Let'’s write him an email.
"Hey, Jeff, it'’s Nev and Max.
"We just read your email
and would love to know more.
"What made you think Ari was
"lying to/catfishing
your brother.
"Do you have a way
to video chat with us
so we can talk?"
All right, great.
So we'’ll send this to Jeff.
So here'’s
the second email now...
both: From Ariana.
- Interesting.
- As in "Ari."
- Yes.
"Hey, Nev and Max,
"My name is Ari.
I'’m 21 and live in Los Angeles.
"This is gonna sound insane.
"I can'’t believe
I'’m even writing you,
"but I think someone wrote
into the show
"accusing me of being a catfish
"and I have no idea why,
"and I need your help
to prove him wrong.
"Jeff is my boyfriend
Lanum'’s brother.
"I can'’t believe
Jeff would do this
"because Lanum and I are
in a loving relationship,
"but since Jeff did this,
it makes me think that
Lanum is hiding something."
- Do you know
what that could mean?
That could mean that two people
are actually who they are,
but think that they'’re being
catfished by the other person.
So we could have
a real love story.
- Right.
All right, so hold on.
"We met on Plenty of Fish."
- Uh-oh.
- "He loves me and I love him.
- ♪ Sunshine
is gonna come now ♪
♪ Rain down
♪ All over you
♪
- "He'’s a very sweet
and genuine guy,
"and he means the world to me."
Wow.
Three months, "the world."
- ♪Sunshine
is gonna come now ♪
♪ Rain down
♪ Sunshine
is gonna come now... ♪
- "I love Lanum
with all my heart,
"but I need your help
to find out the truth.
"I can video chat.
Please call me.
Ariana."
- She said please video chat me,
and gave us the handle...
- Right.
- So why don'’t we do that.
- Ring her up.
Here we go.
Ari.
[video chat ringing]
[dramatic music]
- Hey!
- Ho!
- Hi.
- What'’s up, Ari?
How you doing?
- I'’m good.
- So this is
an interesting situation for us
because right before
we read your email...
- Mm-hmm.
- We actually read an email
from Jeff.
- Right, yeah.
- So I don'’t know
how you knew about that.
- Jeff didn'’t tell me.
My boyfriend Lanum told me.
Um, Jeff is his brother.
When Lanum told me,
he didn'’t seem like
he was taking it seriously,
but it'’s been on my mind,
which is why,
you know,
I wrote to you guys.
He basically told me that
Jeff doesn'’t think I am
who I think I am,
and that he was going
to write into the show.
- And so you don'’t want there
to be some suspicion
that you'’re lying.
- Yeah, exactly.
- Can you show us some state ID?
- Do you really wanna see?
I have to get my purse.
- Get it.
- [laughs]
Okay.
- Good one.
- Don'’t take anything
for granted.
- Yeah, totally.
- All right, yeah, there it is.
- The old vertical card.
How did this all start?
- Right.
- We met on Plenty of Fish.
We kind of just clicked
and had that connection.
I ended up asking him
for his number.
It kind of took off from there.
He was living in West Covina.
Um, he'’s 24.
- West Covina.
- So, yeah, okay--
- Which is near Los Angeles.
- Yeah.
So maybe about four days
after we started talking,
was when his brother
passed away...
♪
So he had to move to Texas
and take care of his kids.
- His brother that'’s not Jeff,
so he has another brother--
- Yeah, his brother Nathan.
- Wow, so he just moved
to Texas?
Where in Texas?
- In Austin.
Which was kind of bizarre
because the next day
after his brother passed away
was the day that
we had planned to meet up,
but, you know, we couldn'’t now
because he had to fly to Texas.
- Sounds bogus.
Well, you were very easy
to video chat with.
Have you asked Lanum
to video chat or Jeff even?
- You know, I didn'’t want
to cause, you know, more--
you know, more problems
in his life, so I just didn'’t.
- Come on, Ari.
- [laughs]
- Are you really buying this?
- Are you serious?
- Clearly, something'’s up.
- You know,
I love him to death,
and I want, you know,
all of this to work out.
I just want to grow with him,
and, you know,
have this family
that we talked about,
and, you know, get married,
and, you know, all that--
the good stuff.
- Who--we--I...
- It doesn'’t sound great.
- No.
- I have some suspicions
and theories.
You'’re in LA.
We live in LA.
We'’ll be at your door soon.
- Okay, see you soon.
- Okay.
- Bye, Ari.
- Bye.
- Bye.
[swish]
- As fake as the catfish seems,
her feelings are real.
- We need to help this girl.
- Right.
- All right, let'’s do this.
- ♪ All my life...
- All right.
Here we go!
Sunny Los Angeles.
[together] ♪ All my life I had
just a little bit of love ♪
♪ And I let it go
- Okay, nice little
neighborhood.
All right.
[upbeat music]
[knocks on door]
- Oh, hey!
- Hi.
- Hey.
- What'’s up?
- Hi.
- How are you?
- I'’m good.
How are you?
- Great.
- How you doing?
- Okay.
- Let'’s sit down.
- All right.
I see you have
at least one piercing,
and some body modification,
do you have a lot of tattoos
that we can'’t see?
- I have two on my wrists, and--
- Can we see?
- Cats. Cute.
- Oh, cool.
- I like '’em a lot, actually.
- So you love cats?
- Yeah.
I have two cats
that are with my ex-boyfriend.
- And how long did you date
your ex-boyfriend
- For three years.
- And then you got
on Plenty of Fish?
- Yeah.
- And how soon after making
the Plenty of Fish profile
did you meet Lanum?
- Like, I wanna say
it was either that same day
or the next day.
- What was it about Lanum
that caught your eye?
- Off the bat,
it was the way he looked.
He was--you know,
he looked different
than every--anyone else
that messaged me.
Like, you know,
he has a lot of tattoos,
but more than that,
it was, you know, the--
how easy it was to talk to him.
Nothing seemed forced.
Nothing--everything--
the conversation just,
like, flowed.
[soft music]
And we talked about meeting up
on the phone.
We talked about, you know,
that Friday, that we would meet.
That Thursday was when
everything kind of happened.
You know, he--
his brother passed away.
I asked him what happened,
he told me it was--
his brother had died
in a car crash.
The next day,
I find out that
his brother had died
from cancer.
- What?
How do you mix those things up?
- Yeah.
- Usually, you don'’t pull
the "family member died
in a car crash" card...
- Day four.
- Till at least
a month or two in.
both: Right.
- This guy doesn'’t have
good luck.
His brother either had cancer
or died in a car accidentor both.
- I mean, it'’s ridiculous.
Come on, Ari.
- I mean, I can see why,
but I'’m just kind of...
being, you know--
I just want all this to be real.
- Can we see the pictures?
- You want to see it?
both: Yeah.
- Let'’s please see this guy.
- Hold on.
- All right, let'’s see.
Oh, yeah.
All right, so this is Lanum.
He texted this to you?
- Mm-hmm.
- When?
- This was, like, in--
towards the beginning.
- I'’m just--ooh.
"I love you."
"I love you more."
I'’m just looking at your--
Oh, man, this is gonna
take forever.
- Yeah.
- Holy moly,
you guys text a lot.
- Yeah.
- Jesus.
- We'’re usually just talking,
you know, from when we wake up
to when we go to sleep.
- Okay, so here--
this is the day of.
He said,
"My brother passed away."
You said, "When? How?
What happened?
I'’m so sorry to hear that,
baby."
He said, "An hour ago.
"My brother called this morning
to tell me he was
in the hospital."
"Oh, babe,
I'’m really sorry for that.
I'’ll always be here for you.
I love you so much."
He said, "Love you too."
- You'’re saying,
"I love you too"?
This is, like, day four?
- Yeah.
[dramatic music]
[laughs]
- That'’s pretty advanced.
- You'’re right.
How did that happen so fast?
- I mean, like I said in, like--
- You haven'’t even met
the guy...
- [laughs]
- And you love him so much?
- I do.
I mean,
it'’s just the way that we talk
and the way that,
you know,
he, you know,
kind of makes me feel.
- How do you get to love
after three days of texting?
What is so special
about this guy?
- He'’s very, like, reassuring.
Because, like, sometimes,
you know, I get, like,
you know, sad.
Like, I used to be
a emergency dispatcher.
there'’s been a lot of times
where, like,
I'’ll have crazy dispatches
and, like, at the end of it,
like, I just have to cry,
and, like, I'’ll just tell him
about it, like, what happened,
and he'’ll just tell that,
you know,
"You have to stay strong."
Like, "Keep your head up.
I know you can do this."
Like, it was always him
to kind of pick me back up,
and listen to me
when I needed him.
- You have a big heart.
- Mm-hmm.
- You care about people,
clearly.
I get why emotionally
this relationship made sense
and felt great.
That said, as outsiders,
there are clearly
a lot of things
that jump out to us
as possible lies.
- Right.
- How much of your feelings
about this guy
are tied up with him being
this super handsome,
tattooed, hot guy?
- I mean, I would be hurt,
definitely, you know,
because I'’m expecting
the person I'’m talking to
to be, you know, the person
that I see in pictures,
but I do love him,
and I really want to be with him
and have a future with him.
- You talk about
living together?
- Yeah, we talk about,
you know, living together.
He'’s asked me for my ring size.
- Wow.
- Geez.
- I just so badly want this.
You know?
- All right, well, look.
Send us everything you have.
- Okay.
- Hopefully,
we'’ll figure this out.
- Okay.
Bye.
Thank you.
Thanks for coming.
- We'’re on the case.
- See, you guys.
- Okay.
- Bye.
- Oh, boy.
- It sounds so crazy
and unbelievable,
but then you go
through the text messages...
- I know, I know.
- And you see how many they are
and what they'’re saying
back and forth,
and it'’s like, "I get it."
If that were my every day,
it would be easier
to ignore the greater issues.
This is not good.
- I know.
[stylized music]
- Free-style walking
with Nev Schulman.
Back from the '’90s.
[laughs]
both: All right.
- Red Car Cafe.
- Bring it on.
Let'’s get down to business.
- Okay, we got one email
from Jeff saying,
"I'’m afraid
that my brother Lanum
is getting catfished."
Then we got another email
from Ari saying,
"Hey, my boyfriend'’s brother
thinks that I'’m a catfish
and I'’m not,"
and, sure enough,
we went and met her,
she'’s exactly
who she says she is.
- Right.
- Meanwhile,
we responded
to the email from...
both: "Jeff..."
- The brother of Lanum.
Has he gotten back to you?
- No.
Weird.
All right, let'’s see--
I think we got an email--yes.
Ari, "I attached
the pics Lanum sent me.
"Here'’s his phone number,
his Facebook page,
and his Instagram."
- All right,
first thing'’s first,
let'’s run his pictures.
- All right.
- All right, here we go.
First pic, first pic.
Uh...
- Wait.
- Nope, nothing.
- No, okay.
- All right, let'’s keep going.
Him with his tattoos.
both: Oh!
- Ho!
- We got a hit!
Got a hit.
[bleep] Bologna.
- He'’s Italian.
- Lanum is baloney.
- Whoa.
And he'’s a tattoo artist.
Here are the photos.
Look, here'’s a couple more of
the photos that Lanum sent Ari.
All right, so we know who
the guy in the photos is now.
Let'’s see if we can find some
info that might actually help us
figure out who Lanum really is.
- Okay.
- Let'’s go to his Facebook page.
Let'’s look up--
here he is, Lanum.
Boom.
- So we know
that picture is fake,
his profile picture.
- Lives in Dallas, Texas.
- There it is.
He doesn'’t live--
- Why would he say
he lives in Austin?
- Weird.
- Yeah.
Work in education.
Oh.
Class of 2001.
Wait a second.
- Whoa.
- I mean--
- I was class of 2000.
- I was 2002.
so, he'’s, like--
- That would make him, like 33.
- Weird.
Not 25.
- No.
40 friends?
- Less than 100.
That'’s what we say.
If you have less than
100 friends, you'’re suspicious.
- The good news is--
- What'’s the good news?
- That makes it very easy
to reach out to all of them.
I think we should just blast
all these people.
See if anyone gets back to us.
- Let'’s blast away.
- Okay.
- "We'’re doing an episode
"that involves
your friend Lanum [bleep].
"If you could,
please email me back or call me.
Cheers."
Short but sweet.
- Sending the first message
to Andrea.
Here we go.
- Tiffany.
- Boom.
- Kelsey,
let'’s send her a message.
Shawnee.
- Two Es in "Shawnee."
- There we go.
All right, wow.
So, while we wait--
- All right, let'’s go back--
yeah, let'’s go back
and do some more--
- Let'’s do the old
reverse phone search
on Lanum'’s number.
All right,
reverse phone search.
Go, go, go.
- Oh.
Lanum [bleep].
- This phone number is
a landline,
so it'’s probably a text app.
- Right.
- That'’s, like,
a major red flag.
- Yeah.
[phone rings]
- Oh, oh, oh!
- Oh, we got a call.
We got a call.
Incoming, incoming.
- Hello?
- Hi, who is this?
- Tiffany, hello.
This is Nev and Max.
Thanks for getting back to us
so quickly.
So how do you know Lanum?
- How intense did
the relationship get?
- Like, kinky things?
- And the photos were kinky too?
- Are you still talking
to him now?
- He just ghosted?
- And where did Lanum say he is?
- [quietly] Outside of Dallas.
- Did he mention anything about
his brother'’s Nathan or Jeff?
- How old is Lanum?
The story that he told you
is very different than the story
he told this other girl.
So, just so you know, in case
Lanum decides to hit you up,
uh, be careful because it looks
like he is a classic catfish.
- Sorry to break the bad news.
- All right.
- We will.
- We wi--oh, we'’ll find him.
- [laughs softly]
- All right, take care.
both: Bye.
- Wow.
- So he--
- Whole different story.
- Completely different story.
both: He'’s 33.
- He doesn'’t mention brothersat all.
[cell phone dings]
- Wait, we got something.
- Oh, whoa!
- Oh, this is Jeff.
both: Jeff wrote us back.
- The brother.
- "Wow, can'’t believe
you guys emailed me back.
"I figured it was a long shot.
Happy you'’re willing to help."
What is that?
That'’s so weird and vague.
- Just say,
"Can we jump on the phone?"
- "Can we call you to discuss
all of this?"
- Yeah.
- All right.
My best guess is Jeff is
just another personality
and account that Lanum made.
- Right.
Jeff is probably the catfish.
- So this is getting weird.
We know he'’s lying
about who he is in the photos.
- And he'’s telling
everyone different stories.
He'’s not keeping
his stories straight at all.
- While he'’s in this passionate
relationship with Ari,
just a few weeks ago,
he was pursuing and talking to
and planning to meet up
with some other girl.
- He'’s a big catfish.
[dramatic music]
- Uh, hey...
[cell phone ringing]
both:
We'’re getting a phone call.
- Nashville.
"Catfish" headquarters.
- Hey, Kylee.
This is Max.
I'’m here in a car with Nev.
Thanks for calling us back.
- So can we talk about
your friend Lanum for a second?
- What?
- He catfished you?
- Whoa.
Did you guys exchange
any kind of,
like, nudey pictures?
- This guy is disgusting.
- Yeah.
- This guy is a real...
piece of [bleep].
- Did he mention his brothers?
- When was this?
- Wow.
What a jerk.
Well, look, we'’re getting
to the bottom of this,
and once we find out who he is,
we'’ll let you know.
- Bye.
Thanks.
- This guy is a real d-bag.
- Right.
- He admitted to catfishing her.
- Yeah.
Ugh.
- That story doesn'’t bode well
for Ari.
We have to convey to her
how much...
- This guys sucks.
- Yeah.
[soft dramatic music]
[knocks on door]
both: Hey.
- Hey, Ari.
both: Hi.
- [laughs]
- Hey.
- Let'’s have a seat
in the kitchen here.
All right?
Why don'’t we
show you what we found.
We started
with his Facebook page.
We could see his friends.
- Yeah.
- Of which he only has 40.
- Ri--yeah.
- Which is pretty--
- You'’ve noticed that
that'’s not a lot.
- Yeah.
And that they'’re mostly female.
- They are also--
- I'’m glad you noticed that.
- Mostly female.
- Very perceptive.
- So we messaged all the girls--
everybody on his page.
- Jesus.
- Mostly girls,
and this is where it got,
like, a little unnerving.
- Mm-hmm.
- The first girl we spoke to
told us
that a few months ago,
Lanum hit her up,
and that they were
kind of dating,
and he was talking with her
over the same period of time,
basically,
that you and him were talking.
- Right.
Hmm.
That'’s weird.
- It'’s--yeah,
well, it'’s not great.
- Yeah, for him to be talking
to someone else
the way he'’s talking to me
kind of, you know--
well, that--that bothers me.
That hurts me.
I don'’t know that really sucks
because, you know,
I thought we had
this special thing
and it seems like
he'’s having this special thing
with other women as well.
He'’s even told me, like,
he doesn'’t give a [bleep]
about out her women
and things like that,
and, so...
I don'’t know.
♪
- Then we got in the car
to come over here,
and we got another phone call.
- Yes.
- And this one came
from a girl name Kylee.
- Mm-hmm.
- She told us that
she started talking to Lanum...
- A month and a half ago.
- This--oh, okay.
Mm-hmm.
- On Plenty of Fish.
- On Plenty of fish they met.
- And this was while you guys...
- Right, and he--
- Were, like,
right in the thick of it.
- Yeah, and he'’s told me that
he doesn'’t have his
Plenty of Fish profile anymore.
- Kylee told us that two days
before they were supposed
to meet he says,
"I can'’t meet.
My brother died.
He had cancer."
♪
- [exhales]
Okay.
- And she'’s kind of like,
"You know what?
This is weird."
- "This feels fishy to me."
- "This feels--"
yeah, "there are, like,
too many red flags.
Like, I don'’t know
if I'’m buying all of this. "
To which he says,
"You'’re right.
I am a catfish."
- He said that to her?
[dramatic music]
That'’s very s--who does that?
That'’s very sick.
I--
[exhales sharply]
- Kylee has sent him
naked pictures.
Have you guys sent each other,
like, nudey stuff?
- No--yeah, but not very many.
- Does he have pictures
that you would prefer
other people didn'’t see?
- I mean, yeah, of course.
I don'’t know if, you know,
he has them saved or whatever,
but it kind of makes me sick
to my stomach.
- It'’s pretty disgusting.
- Yeah.
- There is one more thing.
- We did an image search,
and this one gave us a hit.
His name is [bleep].
- Yeah.
♪
- What the [bleep]?
- So this is the guy
in the pictures,
and his name is [bleep]
and he lives in Italy
and he'’s a tattoo artist.
- Okay, so, who the [bleep] is
the guy that I'’m talking to?
♪
[soft dramatic music]
- Well...
Wow.
I didn'’t think you guys
were gonna hit me with that.
I'’m--I wanna know
who I'’m talking to then.
Because it'’s obviously
not this guy.
He really got me.
♪
[sighs]
- Which--this is a lot.
- Yeah.
- This guy doesn'’t seem
to have any rules...
- Yeah.
- Or boundaries
when it comes
to making stuff up,
and taking advantage of people.
- Yep.
[computer beeps]
- Oh.
- Oh, my God.
We literally just got
a response from Jeff.
"You can contact Lanum."
- [sighs]
- And that'’s the number
you have for him.
So, thanks, Jeff.
both: Right.
- He is Lanum.
They'’re the same person.
- This is an unusual scenario
where it looks as though
the catfish
reached out to us first.
- The--why?
Oh, that'’s--that'’s what gets me.
- Maybe he does
wanna come clean.
All right, well, look.
Jeff just wrote us,
and said, "Call Lanum."
So I think I should call him.
See if I can organize
us going to meet up with Lanum,
Jeff, whatever.
All right, I'’ll be right back.
- Okay.
[suspenseful music]
Definitely did not think that
this was how today
was gonna turn out.
[line ringing]
- Yes, hi.
Uh, is this Lanum?
- Hey, this is Nev,
uh, from the MTV show "Catfish."
- Did your brother
Jeff mention that he had,
uh, contacted me?
- Well, we met Ari,
and we'’ve been here
in California with her
for the last two day.
She is very much
in love with you
and was certain that
you were telling her the truth.
- How do you feel about Ari?
- [chuckles]
- Wow.
- What'’s this guy'’s deal?
Why is he doing this to people?
- I think he wants this.
He wrote in to us.
- Yeah.
That'’s right.
- That'’s the sickest part is
that, like,
he wants to be found.
- Yeah.
- What I don'’t understand
is why you wouldn'’t
really prove to her that
you are who you say you are.
- Look, let'’s not bull[bleep]
each other.
We know you'’ve been lying,
and Ari'’s pretty upset...
- And I don'’t think
you care about her at all.
We wanna give you an opportunity
to explain yourself
even though
you really don'’t deserve it.
So we'’d like to come to Texas.
We believe you live
sort of in the Dallas area...
- And we'’d like
to hear from you.
She deserves to know the truth,
and you owe that to her.
♪
- Great.
Why don'’t you text me
your address,
and we will let you know
what our plans are.
- Okay.
Thank you.
[cell phone beeps, clicks]
- Okay,
- [sighs]
- What we got?
- I spoke to Lanum.
I said, "Look, Lanum,
"if you want an opportunity
to explain yourself,
I suggest you agree to meet us."
He said okay.
We need to go do whatever we can
to get him to stop
catfishing people.
- Right.
- Gather your things,
and be ready tomorrow
to stick up for yourself.
- Okay.
- You gonna be all right?
- Yeah.
I'’ll try to be.
[dramatic music]
- Headed to the airport.
Still dark out.
I see Max.
♪
- Early.
So early.
So that'’s it?
Just that backpack?
That'’s the lightest
anyone has ever packed.
- She'’s not planning
on staying very long.
- I guess not.
- Coming for you, Lanum.
- ♪ You and me
were never true ♪
♪ You and me were never true
♪ I was always lying too
♪ Never true,
never true ♪
♪ I see that chocolate
covering your cold slick face ♪
♪ Caught red handed
and it'’s not fixed pay ♪
- A text just came through
from Lanum.
"Here'’s my address."
Grapevine, Texas.
Okay, let'’s head over.
[dramatic music]
- So how are you feeling
right now?
- I'’m very nervous,
and I'’m--I'’m a little scared.
- We'’re pretty close.
- [exhales]
♪
I'’m really nervous.
[exhales]
- All right?
- Yeah.
- This is the moment
where you stand up for yourself.
Ready?
- Yeah.
[suspenseful music]
♪
Oh, my gosh.
- This place is pretty...rugged.
♪
[knocks on door]
♪
♪
- [bleep]
[knocks on door]
- Hello?
[suspenseful music]
[knocks on door]
[door opens]
- Hey, what'’s up?
- Hey, what'’s up?
- Not much.
- Nev.
- Hey, Nev.
- Did we speak on the phone?
- Yeah, I'’m the one that
you talked to on the phone.
- So, Lanum.
- Lanum.
- But is that--
- No, it'’s not my real name.
- That'’s not your real name.
What'’s your name?
- It'’s Marcus.
- Okay, Marcus.
Why don'’t you follow me
out here to...
♪
Okay, so this is...
- Hi.
- Hey.
- Marcus,
AKA Lanum,
and that'’s about
as far as we got.
- Okay, who are you?
- I'’m Marcus.
Um, I'’m from Dallas.
- How old are you?
I'’m 43.
- And how long
have you been doing this?
- For, like,
the last three years.
I actually created the persona
in 2013 in December.
I remember that,
um, '’cause I tried
online dating,
and, um, it--
I just didn'’t get anything--
any response and stuff.
- So what happened?
You turned 40,
and were just like,
"I'’m gonna start catfishing"?
- It just started off
as a social experiment,
and then it turned into
an addiction.
Something that, you know,
got a hold of me
when I was vulnerable.
You know, I couldn'’t understand
why people--
you know, women couldn'’t,
you know--
online, couldn'’t, like, date me.
- Did you have any brothers
that died?
- No.
- So those stories were all...
- Yeah, I just made
that [bleep] up.
- For why?
Why did you make that up?
- Well, I didn'’t-- I didn'’t know
if we were gonna meet or not
'’cause I work nights
and then I sleep during the day,
so it'’s kind of hard to--
it kills your social life,
working at night.
So I had to kind of have--
create something
to where my time was limited.
- You know what kills
your social life?
When you think
you'’re dating someone
that you'’re in love with
and you'’re gonna have kids with
and you'’re not meeting
anyone else
because someone'’s feeding you
bull[bleep] over the phone.
That'’s what kills
your social life.
What do you have to say to--
to this girl right here?
I mean, is she the youngest girl
you'’ve ever catfished?
- Yes.
- You were pretending to be
a 25-year-old...
- Right.
- Among other things.
- Man, I'’m really sorry.
[soft dramatic music]
♪
- Well, why at any point
in us talking
did you not tell me?
- I wanted to tell you,
and I should have.
- Cause you--well,
you could have just told me.
You could have just told me,
and it--and it would have gone
way differently.
♪
- I should have told you.
I wanna stop doing this.
That'’s the whole deal,
and I thought that
she would be the perfect one
to have the opportunity
to come clean with
and see if there might be
a chance.
- To see if there might be
a chance that--
that it'’ll work out
between you guys?
- Maybe.
I mean,
my feelings for her are genuine.
I really do care about her.
- Yeah, but you were talking
to someone else
for half the time that you were
supposed to be in love with her.
- Kylee--yeah, what happ--
- Telling here the same thing.
- Kylee?
- Yeah.
- That was a mistake.
With Kylee,
I got so intrigued
with how she acted.
I mean, she was very,
uh, she enjoyed sexting,
and, um, I got caught up in it,
but what I feel for you
is genuine.
It'’s real.
- It'’s not.
- It is.
- How can you say that
when nothing that I know of you
is real at all?
Nothing.
Not one thing.
- Since we'’ve been
making the show,
every girl or guy
that'’s ever been in Ari'’s place
fears that they'’re talking to
some
mid-forty-something-year-old man
who'’s sad, sitting at home
in his crusty boxers,
like, typing into the computer,
and you'’re that guy.
We finally met you...
♪
And that sucks for you.
- Right, totally.
- Yeah, but it also
sucks even more
for Ari and all the other girls
whose time you wasted.
♪
You'’re not the victim here.
♪
- Can I go to the car?
- Yes.
♪
- ♪ You'’ll see me hurtin'’ ♪
♪
♪ When my heart it breaks
♪
♪ I'’ll put on a performance ♪
♪
♪ I'’ll put on a brave face ♪
♪
[dramatic music]
- Why write in to the show?
If you wanted
to tell her the truth,
you could have done that.
- Right.
- Well, I wanted to come clean.
You know, I was Jeff
that wrote you guys.
- We figured you--
- We know that.
- Right.
- We knew that
from the second
we read the email.
- And I wanted to get clean
with this [bleep].
- You'’d do better to just
post it on your Facebook page.
- I could have done that.
- Right.
♪
Are you getting help for this?
- I'’m gonna go talk to Ari
for a second.
- Getting help for online...
- Yeah.
- No.
No, I don'’t--
I just need to stop.
- And kind of
revealing yourself,
this'’ll be the--
the doorstop?
This'’ll be the thing
that totally--
- It'’s the thing that ends it.
I-I sick of it.
I just wanna come clean,
and hopefully start something
or not.
- It'’s--you'’re not
gonna start something.
- Yeah, I got that now.
- Even if she wanted to,
I wouldn'’t let her
start something with you.
Period.
Not after what you did.
- [sighs]
♪
- [sniffles]
- Okay.
Hi.
- I do not wanna go back.
- Look, you don'’t have
to do anything...
- Mm-hmm.
- But this guy needs
to hear from you.
- What does he want to hear?
- He needs you--
I think he needs to hear
that you'’re hurt.
'’Cause he still thinks
he'’s a sweet guy.
I mean, the fact that
he thinks there'’s a chance,
like, he'’s so not getting it.
- Yeah.
♪
[sighs]
- So this was really all
about getting here to meet you
because you wanted to see
if there was a chance with her?
- Yeah.
I love her, man.
- Yeah, well,
it'’s not gonna happen.
- Yeah, you said.
- This is actually
a very selfish thing
that you'’re doing
to reach out to the person
that you'’ve been lying to,
and see if you have
a future with her.
Which is more [bleep] up.
- I wanna be with her.
I mean, but--
- I get it, and she gets it,
and we get it.
- All right, we'’re good.
♪
- [exhales]
We should go.
- [bleep] this guy.
He'’s older than my mom.
That'’s just not gonna happen.
For him to even just think
for a second after all this
that I would [bleep] come
over here to [bleep] Texas
to live with this guy.
Like, I don'’t even [bleep]
know you.
- He'’s not this harmless
little puppy dog.
I mean, he'’s [bleep] 43.
both: Yeah.
- He'’s pretending to be 25.
That is not cool.
[knocks on door]
- Hi.
- Hey.
- Morning.
- Good morning.
[upbeat music]
- What are you thinking
and feeling about all of this?
- I'’m still hurt.
I don'’t want anything
to do with him.
He was even texting me
last night,
and trying
to make me feel guilty
for not wanting to be with him.
- What did he say?
- I have the messages.
- [groans]
- "I know it'’s over,
"and it never really began,
but in my heart,
it was so real."
- He'’s playing the victim still.
- Yeah.
- Anyway, and then--
and then he said,
"You got nothing to say?"
And you said,
"I don'’t know you,"
and then he said,
"[bleep] you."
- He'’s two-faced.
- Right.
- Yeah.
- Do you wanna talk to him?
- Yeah.
- What do you wanna know?
- Yeah, what'’s left for you to--
- I mean, I wanna talk him that,
you know, I don'’t want anything
to do with you,
and to delete the photos
and to not try to use
'’em against me in any way.
- All right, guys,
let'’s do it.
- Good morning, Marcus.
It'’s Nev.
Just talk about today
and seeing if you'’re interested
in talking to us.
- We'’ll see you soon.
Okay.
- Put on your game face.
- Right.
- Okay.
Let'’s do it.
[soft dramatic music]
There he is.
- Ooh, watch your step.
- Yeah, all right.
- How'’s it going?
- Thanks.
Come on in, you guys.
♪
All right.
- So look,
'’cause this is basically
your last opportunity
to talk to Ari.
- Um, I bought her something
that she can have that'’s hers.
Let me go get it.
[dramatic music]
- [whispers]
This guy has balls.
- What is it?
- It was a ring.
♪
It was, like--engagement ring.
- [exhales]
I don'’t want it.
[bleep] you.
- [sighs]
- You don'’t understand
how this is,
like, the worst thing
you could possibly give her?
You know what I mean?
Like, it only--
- No, because it--
'’cause it hurts her.
It makes her feel guilty
for not wanting to be with you.
- No, I mean--
- Yes, that is
the effect on her.
- The course--the course
of our conversation was--
- Right, but that--
but that was all a lie.
So, for--
- Ri--no, to me it wasn'’t.
- No, I know,
but for you to think that
she might actually want a ring
from you after all of this--
- It just scares me that
you'’re not grasping that.
- I'’m grasping it.
- No, you'’re not.
[soft dramatic music]
♪
- [crying softly]
All my feelings were so real,
and you--
you really used me,
and I--I don'’t understand why
because I had--
I hadn'’t done anything to you,
and you made me feel guilty
for not wanting
to be with you...
♪
But why would I want to
after this?
[exhales]
Do you still have the pictures?
- What pictures?
- Pictures that I have sent you.
- I can delete '’em.
I have pictures that you--
- Yeah, I would like
that you delete them...
- Okay.
- And delete my contact.
- Okay.
- I want you to show Ari
that you'’re deleting
her pictures.
- Okay.
I deleted it.
- All right.
- I-I just don'’t want contact
with you.
- That'’s fine.
- Yeah, I don'’t have anything
to say anymore.
I just want to--
I want this to be over.
♪
- She said her piece,
and she can go her away.
You'’ve done
some [bleep] up [bleep].
Pretending that you'’re 25.
Getting naked pictures
of a 21-year-old girl.
- I don'’t know why--
I just got addicted to it.
Um, and I wanna stop.
- Well, get your [bleep]
together.
- You can start right away.
Just start being the person
that you say you are.
- I can do that.
- Good luck.
- ♪ This time
I'’ll keep an overview ♪
♪
♪ This time
I'’ll keep away from you ♪
- Well, how do you feel?
- I feel pretty pissed.
- Maybe he will correct
his behavior.
Let'’s hope.
For the sake
of all the other Aris out there.
- Yeah.
- ♪ This time
I'’ll keep away from you ♪
♪
1003
00:40:30.
had died in a car crash.
The next day I find out that his
brother had died from cancer.
- What?
Come on, Ari.
Sounds bogus.
both: Oh!
- Ho!
- We got a hit!
- This is getting weird.
What if Lanum is real?
- We could have
a real love story.
- I'’m very nervous.
He'’s asked me for my ring size.
- Really?
[knocks on door]
[dramatic music]
[exhales]
This is crazy.
- So, we'’re gonna start
this episode off
with a little gift for you.
- Really?
- Yeah.
- With a little Christmas cheer.
[laughs]
- I'’m Santa Claus.
Oh, my God.
Look at this.
It'’s a "Catfish" onesie
with "Cleo" on the back.
[both laugh]
- For Cleo,
your lovely daughter.
- Thanks, buddy.
All right, let'’s get to work.
We got an email.
- We got an email.
But wait, it'’s from Mike.
This is Mike from casting.
- Well, that'’s weird.
"I was about to forward you
"the latest application email
"when I noticed something weird.
"There are actually two emails
"pertaining to
the same relationship,
"but they'’re
from different people.
"Both have concerns
of the other being a catfish.
"Both emails are below.
Let me know
if you have any questions.
Good luck."
- Two sides think
they'’re being catfished.
- Wow.
All right, here'’s the first one.
"Dear Nev and Max,
I am Jeffrey [bleep].
"I don'’t know
who else to turn to.
"I believe my brother Lanum is
being catfished.
"He'’s been dating this girl
named Ari for a few months,
"but they'’ve never met.
"Is there any way
you can find out
"if this woman is real.
Please help me.
Jeff."
- Where are they, these guys?
- Unclear.
I guess we have to reach out.
Let'’s write him an email.
"Hey, Jeff, it'’s Nev and Max.
"We just read your email
and would love to know more.
"What made you think Ari was
"lying to/catfishing
your brother.
"Do you have a way
to video chat with us
so we can talk?"
All right, great.
So we'’ll send this to Jeff.
So here'’s
the second email now...
both: From Ariana.
- Interesting.
- As in "Ari."
- Yes.
"Hey, Nev and Max,
"My name is Ari.
I'’m 21 and live in Los Angeles.
"This is gonna sound insane.
"I can'’t believe
I'’m even writing you,
"but I think someone wrote
into the show
"accusing me of being a catfish
"and I have no idea why,
"and I need your help
to prove him wrong.
"Jeff is my boyfriend
Lanum'’s brother.
"I can'’t believe
Jeff would do this
"because Lanum and I are
in a loving relationship,
"but since Jeff did this,
it makes me think that
Lanum is hiding something."
- Do you know
what that could mean?
That could mean that two people
are actually who they are,
but think that they'’re being
catfished by the other person.
So we could have
a real love story.
- Right.
All right, so hold on.
"We met on Plenty of Fish."
- Uh-oh.
- "He loves me and I love him.
- ♪ Sunshine
is gonna come now ♪
♪ Rain down
♪ All over you
♪
- "He'’s a very sweet
and genuine guy,
"and he means the world to me."
Wow.
Three months, "the world."
- ♪Sunshine
is gonna come now ♪
♪ Rain down
♪ Sunshine
is gonna come now... ♪
- "I love Lanum
with all my heart,
"but I need your help
to find out the truth.
"I can video chat.
Please call me.
Ariana."
- She said please video chat me,
and gave us the handle...
- Right.
- So why don'’t we do that.
- Ring her up.
Here we go.
Ari.
[video chat ringing]
[dramatic music]
- Hey!
- Ho!
- Hi.
- What'’s up, Ari?
How you doing?
- I'’m good.
- So this is
an interesting situation for us
because right before
we read your email...
- Mm-hmm.
- We actually read an email
from Jeff.
- Right, yeah.
- So I don'’t know
how you knew about that.
- Jeff didn'’t tell me.
My boyfriend Lanum told me.
Um, Jeff is his brother.
When Lanum told me,
he didn'’t seem like
he was taking it seriously,
but it'’s been on my mind,
which is why,
you know,
I wrote to you guys.
He basically told me that
Jeff doesn'’t think I am
who I think I am,
and that he was going
to write into the show.
- And so you don'’t want there
to be some suspicion
that you'’re lying.
- Yeah, exactly.
- Can you show us some state ID?
- Do you really wanna see?
I have to get my purse.
- Get it.
- [laughs]
Okay.
- Good one.
- Don'’t take anything
for granted.
- Yeah, totally.
- All right, yeah, there it is.
- The old vertical card.
How did this all start?
- Right.
- We met on Plenty of Fish.
We kind of just clicked
and had that connection.
I ended up asking him
for his number.
It kind of took off from there.
He was living in West Covina.
Um, he'’s 24.
- West Covina.
- So, yeah, okay--
- Which is near Los Angeles.
- Yeah.
So maybe about four days
after we started talking,
was when his brother
passed away...
♪
So he had to move to Texas
and take care of his kids.
- His brother that'’s not Jeff,
so he has another brother--
- Yeah, his brother Nathan.
- Wow, so he just moved
to Texas?
Where in Texas?
- In Austin.
Which was kind of bizarre
because the next day
after his brother passed away
was the day that
we had planned to meet up,
but, you know, we couldn'’t now
because he had to fly to Texas.
- Sounds bogus.
Well, you were very easy
to video chat with.
Have you asked Lanum
to video chat or Jeff even?
- You know, I didn'’t want
to cause, you know, more--
you know, more problems
in his life, so I just didn'’t.
- Come on, Ari.
- [laughs]
- Are you really buying this?
- Are you serious?
- Clearly, something'’s up.
- You know,
I love him to death,
and I want, you know,
all of this to work out.
I just want to grow with him,
and, you know,
have this family
that we talked about,
and, you know, get married,
and, you know, all that--
the good stuff.
- Who--we--I...
- It doesn'’t sound great.
- No.
- I have some suspicions
and theories.
You'’re in LA.
We live in LA.
We'’ll be at your door soon.
- Okay, see you soon.
- Okay.
- Bye, Ari.
- Bye.
- Bye.
[swish]
- As fake as the catfish seems,
her feelings are real.
- We need to help this girl.
- Right.
- All right, let'’s do this.
- ♪ All my life...
- All right.
Here we go!
Sunny Los Angeles.
[together] ♪ All my life I had
just a little bit of love ♪
♪ And I let it go
- Okay, nice little
neighborhood.
All right.
[upbeat music]
[knocks on door]
- Oh, hey!
- Hi.
- Hey.
- What'’s up?
- Hi.
- How are you?
- I'’m good.
How are you?
- Great.
- How you doing?
- Okay.
- Let'’s sit down.
- All right.
I see you have
at least one piercing,
and some body modification,
do you have a lot of tattoos
that we can'’t see?
- I have two on my wrists, and--
- Can we see?
- Cats. Cute.
- Oh, cool.
- I like '’em a lot, actually.
- So you love cats?
- Yeah.
I have two cats
that are with my ex-boyfriend.
- And how long did you date
your ex-boyfriend
- For three years.
- And then you got
on Plenty of Fish?
- Yeah.
- And how soon after making
the Plenty of Fish profile
did you meet Lanum?
- Like, I wanna say
it was either that same day
or the next day.
- What was it about Lanum
that caught your eye?
- Off the bat,
it was the way he looked.
He was--you know,
he looked different
than every--anyone else
that messaged me.
Like, you know,
he has a lot of tattoos,
but more than that,
it was, you know, the--
how easy it was to talk to him.
Nothing seemed forced.
Nothing--everything--
the conversation just,
like, flowed.
[soft music]
And we talked about meeting up
on the phone.
We talked about, you know,
that Friday, that we would meet.
That Thursday was when
everything kind of happened.
You know, he--
his brother passed away.
I asked him what happened,
he told me it was--
his brother had died
in a car crash.
The next day,
I find out that
his brother had died
from cancer.
- What?
How do you mix those things up?
- Yeah.
- Usually, you don'’t pull
the "family member died
in a car crash" card...
- Day four.
- Till at least
a month or two in.
both: Right.
- This guy doesn'’t have
good luck.
His brother either had cancer
or died in a car accidentor both.
- I mean, it'’s ridiculous.
Come on, Ari.
- I mean, I can see why,
but I'’m just kind of...
being, you know--
I just want all this to be real.
- Can we see the pictures?
- You want to see it?
both: Yeah.
- Let'’s please see this guy.
- Hold on.
- All right, let'’s see.
Oh, yeah.
All right, so this is Lanum.
He texted this to you?
- Mm-hmm.
- When?
- This was, like, in--
towards the beginning.
- I'’m just--ooh.
"I love you."
"I love you more."
I'’m just looking at your--
Oh, man, this is gonna
take forever.
- Yeah.
- Holy moly,
you guys text a lot.
- Yeah.
- Jesus.
- We'’re usually just talking,
you know, from when we wake up
to when we go to sleep.
- Okay, so here--
this is the day of.
He said,
"My brother passed away."
You said, "When? How?
What happened?
I'’m so sorry to hear that,
baby."
He said, "An hour ago.
"My brother called this morning
to tell me he was
in the hospital."
"Oh, babe,
I'’m really sorry for that.
I'’ll always be here for you.
I love you so much."
He said, "Love you too."
- You'’re saying,
"I love you too"?
This is, like, day four?
- Yeah.
[dramatic music]
[laughs]
- That'’s pretty advanced.
- You'’re right.
How did that happen so fast?
- I mean, like I said in, like--
- You haven'’t even met
the guy...
- [laughs]
- And you love him so much?
- I do.
I mean,
it'’s just the way that we talk
and the way that,
you know,
he, you know,
kind of makes me feel.
- How do you get to love
after three days of texting?
What is so special
about this guy?
- He'’s very, like, reassuring.
Because, like, sometimes,
you know, I get, like,
you know, sad.
Like, I used to be
a emergency dispatcher.
there'’s been a lot of times
where, like,
I'’ll have crazy dispatches
and, like, at the end of it,
like, I just have to cry,
and, like, I'’ll just tell him
about it, like, what happened,
and he'’ll just tell that,
you know,
"You have to stay strong."
Like, "Keep your head up.
I know you can do this."
Like, it was always him
to kind of pick me back up,
and listen to me
when I needed him.
- You have a big heart.
- Mm-hmm.
- You care about people,
clearly.
I get why emotionally
this relationship made sense
and felt great.
That said, as outsiders,
there are clearly
a lot of things
that jump out to us
as possible lies.
- Right.
- How much of your feelings
about this guy
are tied up with him being
this super handsome,
tattooed, hot guy?
- I mean, I would be hurt,
definitely, you know,
because I'’m expecting
the person I'’m talking to
to be, you know, the person
that I see in pictures,
but I do love him,
and I really want to be with him
and have a future with him.
- You talk about
living together?
- Yeah, we talk about,
you know, living together.
He'’s asked me for my ring size.
- Wow.
- Geez.
- I just so badly want this.
You know?
- All right, well, look.
Send us everything you have.
- Okay.
- Hopefully,
we'’ll figure this out.
- Okay.
Bye.
Thank you.
Thanks for coming.
- We'’re on the case.
- See, you guys.
- Okay.
- Bye.
- Oh, boy.
- It sounds so crazy
and unbelievable,
but then you go
through the text messages...
- I know, I know.
- And you see how many they are
and what they'’re saying
back and forth,
and it'’s like, "I get it."
If that were my every day,
it would be easier
to ignore the greater issues.
This is not good.
- I know.
[stylized music]
- Free-style walking
with Nev Schulman.
Back from the '’90s.
[laughs]
both: All right.
- Red Car Cafe.
- Bring it on.
Let'’s get down to business.
- Okay, we got one email
from Jeff saying,
"I'’m afraid
that my brother Lanum
is getting catfished."
Then we got another email
from Ari saying,
"Hey, my boyfriend'’s brother
thinks that I'’m a catfish
and I'’m not,"
and, sure enough,
we went and met her,
she'’s exactly
who she says she is.
- Right.
- Meanwhile,
we responded
to the email from...
both: "Jeff..."
- The brother of Lanum.
Has he gotten back to you?
- No.
Weird.
All right, let'’s see--
I think we got an email--yes.
Ari, "I attached
the pics Lanum sent me.
"Here'’s his phone number,
his Facebook page,
and his Instagram."
- All right,
first thing'’s first,
let'’s run his pictures.
- All right.
- All right, here we go.
First pic, first pic.
Uh...
- Wait.
- Nope, nothing.
- No, okay.
- All right, let'’s keep going.
Him with his tattoos.
both: Oh!
- Ho!
- We got a hit!
Got a hit.
[bleep] Bologna.
- He'’s Italian.
- Lanum is baloney.
- Whoa.
And he'’s a tattoo artist.
Here are the photos.
Look, here'’s a couple more of
the photos that Lanum sent Ari.
All right, so we know who
the guy in the photos is now.
Let'’s see if we can find some
info that might actually help us
figure out who Lanum really is.
- Okay.
- Let'’s go to his Facebook page.
Let'’s look up--
here he is, Lanum.
Boom.
- So we know
that picture is fake,
his profile picture.
- Lives in Dallas, Texas.
- There it is.
He doesn'’t live--
- Why would he say
he lives in Austin?
- Weird.
- Yeah.
Work in education.
Oh.
Class of 2001.
Wait a second.
- Whoa.
- I mean--
- I was class of 2000.
- I was 2002.
so, he'’s, like--
- That would make him, like 33.
- Weird.
Not 25.
- No.
40 friends?
- Less than 100.
That'’s what we say.
If you have less than
100 friends, you'’re suspicious.
- The good news is--
- What'’s the good news?
- That makes it very easy
to reach out to all of them.
I think we should just blast
all these people.
See if anyone gets back to us.
- Let'’s blast away.
- Okay.
- "We'’re doing an episode
"that involves
your friend Lanum [bleep].
"If you could,
please email me back or call me.
Cheers."
Short but sweet.
- Sending the first message
to Andrea.
Here we go.
- Tiffany.
- Boom.
- Kelsey,
let'’s send her a message.
Shawnee.
- Two Es in "Shawnee."
- There we go.
All right, wow.
So, while we wait--
- All right, let'’s go back--
yeah, let'’s go back
and do some more--
- Let'’s do the old
reverse phone search
on Lanum'’s number.
All right,
reverse phone search.
Go, go, go.
- Oh.
Lanum [bleep].
- This phone number is
a landline,
so it'’s probably a text app.
- Right.
- That'’s, like,
a major red flag.
- Yeah.
[phone rings]
- Oh, oh, oh!
- Oh, we got a call.
We got a call.
Incoming, incoming.
- Hello?
- Hi, who is this?
- Tiffany, hello.
This is Nev and Max.
Thanks for getting back to us
so quickly.
So how do you know Lanum?
- How intense did
the relationship get?
- Like, kinky things?
- And the photos were kinky too?
- Are you still talking
to him now?
- He just ghosted?
- And where did Lanum say he is?
- [quietly] Outside of Dallas.
- Did he mention anything about
his brother'’s Nathan or Jeff?
- How old is Lanum?
The story that he told you
is very different than the story
he told this other girl.
So, just so you know, in case
Lanum decides to hit you up,
uh, be careful because it looks
like he is a classic catfish.
- Sorry to break the bad news.
- All right.
- We will.
- We wi--oh, we'’ll find him.
- [laughs softly]
- All right, take care.
both: Bye.
- Wow.
- So he--
- Whole different story.
- Completely different story.
both: He'’s 33.
- He doesn'’t mention brothersat all.
[cell phone dings]
- Wait, we got something.
- Oh, whoa!
- Oh, this is Jeff.
both: Jeff wrote us back.
- The brother.
- "Wow, can'’t believe
you guys emailed me back.
"I figured it was a long shot.
Happy you'’re willing to help."
What is that?
That'’s so weird and vague.
- Just say,
"Can we jump on the phone?"
- "Can we call you to discuss
all of this?"
- Yeah.
- All right.
My best guess is Jeff is
just another personality
and account that Lanum made.
- Right.
Jeff is probably the catfish.
- So this is getting weird.
We know he'’s lying
about who he is in the photos.
- And he'’s telling
everyone different stories.
He'’s not keeping
his stories straight at all.
- While he'’s in this passionate
relationship with Ari,
just a few weeks ago,
he was pursuing and talking to
and planning to meet up
with some other girl.
- He'’s a big catfish.
[dramatic music]
- Uh, hey...
[cell phone ringing]
both:
We'’re getting a phone call.
- Nashville.
"Catfish" headquarters.
- Hey, Kylee.
This is Max.
I'’m here in a car with Nev.
Thanks for calling us back.
- So can we talk about
your friend Lanum for a second?
- What?
- He catfished you?
- Whoa.
Did you guys exchange
any kind of,
like, nudey pictures?
- This guy is disgusting.
- Yeah.
- This guy is a real...
piece of [bleep].
- Did he mention his brothers?
- When was this?
- Wow.
What a jerk.
Well, look, we'’re getting
to the bottom of this,
and once we find out who he is,
we'’ll let you know.
- Bye.
Thanks.
- This guy is a real d-bag.
- Right.
- He admitted to catfishing her.
- Yeah.
Ugh.
- That story doesn'’t bode well
for Ari.
We have to convey to her
how much...
- This guys sucks.
- Yeah.
[soft dramatic music]
[knocks on door]
both: Hey.
- Hey, Ari.
both: Hi.
- [laughs]
- Hey.
- Let'’s have a seat
in the kitchen here.
All right?
Why don'’t we
show you what we found.
We started
with his Facebook page.
We could see his friends.
- Yeah.
- Of which he only has 40.
- Ri--yeah.
- Which is pretty--
- You'’ve noticed that
that'’s not a lot.
- Yeah.
And that they'’re mostly female.
- They are also--
- I'’m glad you noticed that.
- Mostly female.
- Very perceptive.
- So we messaged all the girls--
everybody on his page.
- Jesus.
- Mostly girls,
and this is where it got,
like, a little unnerving.
- Mm-hmm.
- The first girl we spoke to
told us
that a few months ago,
Lanum hit her up,
and that they were
kind of dating,
and he was talking with her
over the same period of time,
basically,
that you and him were talking.
- Right.
Hmm.
That'’s weird.
- It'’s--yeah,
well, it'’s not great.
- Yeah, for him to be talking
to someone else
the way he'’s talking to me
kind of, you know--
well, that--that bothers me.
That hurts me.
I don'’t know that really sucks
because, you know,
I thought we had
this special thing
and it seems like
he'’s having this special thing
with other women as well.
He'’s even told me, like,
he doesn'’t give a [bleep]
about out her women
and things like that,
and, so...
I don'’t know.
♪
- Then we got in the car
to come over here,
and we got another phone call.
- Yes.
- And this one came
from a girl name Kylee.
- Mm-hmm.
- She told us that
she started talking to Lanum...
- A month and a half ago.
- This--oh, okay.
Mm-hmm.
- On Plenty of Fish.
- On Plenty of fish they met.
- And this was while you guys...
- Right, and he--
- Were, like,
right in the thick of it.
- Yeah, and he'’s told me that
he doesn'’t have his
Plenty of Fish profile anymore.
- Kylee told us that two days
before they were supposed
to meet he says,
"I can'’t meet.
My brother died.
He had cancer."
♪
- [exhales]
Okay.
- And she'’s kind of like,
"You know what?
This is weird."
- "This feels fishy to me."
- "This feels--"
yeah, "there are, like,
too many red flags.
Like, I don'’t know
if I'’m buying all of this. "
To which he says,
"You'’re right.
I am a catfish."
- He said that to her?
[dramatic music]
That'’s very s--who does that?
That'’s very sick.
I--
[exhales sharply]
- Kylee has sent him
naked pictures.
Have you guys sent each other,
like, nudey stuff?
- No--yeah, but not very many.
- Does he have pictures
that you would prefer
other people didn'’t see?
- I mean, yeah, of course.
I don'’t know if, you know,
he has them saved or whatever,
but it kind of makes me sick
to my stomach.
- It'’s pretty disgusting.
- Yeah.
- There is one more thing.
- We did an image search,
and this one gave us a hit.
His name is [bleep].
- Yeah.
♪
- What the [bleep]?
- So this is the guy
in the pictures,
and his name is [bleep]
and he lives in Italy
and he'’s a tattoo artist.
- Okay, so, who the [bleep] is
the guy that I'’m talking to?
♪
[soft dramatic music]
- Well...
Wow.
I didn'’t think you guys
were gonna hit me with that.
I'’m--I wanna know
who I'’m talking to then.
Because it'’s obviously
not this guy.
He really got me.
♪
[sighs]
- Which--this is a lot.
- Yeah.
- This guy doesn'’t seem
to have any rules...
- Yeah.
- Or boundaries
when it comes
to making stuff up,
and taking advantage of people.
- Yep.
[computer beeps]
- Oh.
- Oh, my God.
We literally just got
a response from Jeff.
"You can contact Lanum."
- [sighs]
- And that'’s the number
you have for him.
So, thanks, Jeff.
both: Right.
- He is Lanum.
They'’re the same person.
- This is an unusual scenario
where it looks as though
the catfish
reached out to us first.
- The--why?
Oh, that'’s--that'’s what gets me.
- Maybe he does
wanna come clean.
All right, well, look.
Jeff just wrote us,
and said, "Call Lanum."
So I think I should call him.
See if I can organize
us going to meet up with Lanum,
Jeff, whatever.
All right, I'’ll be right back.
- Okay.
[suspenseful music]
Definitely did not think that
this was how today
was gonna turn out.
[line ringing]
- Yes, hi.
Uh, is this Lanum?
- Hey, this is Nev,
uh, from the MTV show "Catfish."
- Did your brother
Jeff mention that he had,
uh, contacted me?
- Well, we met Ari,
and we'’ve been here
in California with her
for the last two day.
She is very much
in love with you
and was certain that
you were telling her the truth.
- How do you feel about Ari?
- [chuckles]
- Wow.
- What'’s this guy'’s deal?
Why is he doing this to people?
- I think he wants this.
He wrote in to us.
- Yeah.
That'’s right.
- That'’s the sickest part is
that, like,
he wants to be found.
- Yeah.
- What I don'’t understand
is why you wouldn'’t
really prove to her that
you are who you say you are.
- Look, let'’s not bull[bleep]
each other.
We know you'’ve been lying,
and Ari'’s pretty upset...
- And I don'’t think
you care about her at all.
We wanna give you an opportunity
to explain yourself
even though
you really don'’t deserve it.
So we'’d like to come to Texas.
We believe you live
sort of in the Dallas area...
- And we'’d like
to hear from you.
She deserves to know the truth,
and you owe that to her.
♪
- Great.
Why don'’t you text me
your address,
and we will let you know
what our plans are.
- Okay.
Thank you.
[cell phone beeps, clicks]
- Okay,
- [sighs]
- What we got?
- I spoke to Lanum.
I said, "Look, Lanum,
"if you want an opportunity
to explain yourself,
I suggest you agree to meet us."
He said okay.
We need to go do whatever we can
to get him to stop
catfishing people.
- Right.
- Gather your things,
and be ready tomorrow
to stick up for yourself.
- Okay.
- You gonna be all right?
- Yeah.
I'’ll try to be.
[dramatic music]
- Headed to the airport.
Still dark out.
I see Max.
♪
- Early.
So early.
So that'’s it?
Just that backpack?
That'’s the lightest
anyone has ever packed.
- She'’s not planning
on staying very long.
- I guess not.
- Coming for you, Lanum.
- ♪ You and me
were never true ♪
♪ You and me were never true
♪ I was always lying too
♪ Never true,
never true ♪
♪ I see that chocolate
covering your cold slick face ♪
♪ Caught red handed
and it'’s not fixed pay ♪
- A text just came through
from Lanum.
"Here'’s my address."
Grapevine, Texas.
Okay, let'’s head over.
[dramatic music]
- So how are you feeling
right now?
- I'’m very nervous,
and I'’m--I'’m a little scared.
- We'’re pretty close.
- [exhales]
♪
I'’m really nervous.
[exhales]
- All right?
- Yeah.
- This is the moment
where you stand up for yourself.
Ready?
- Yeah.
[suspenseful music]
♪
Oh, my gosh.
- This place is pretty...rugged.
♪
[knocks on door]
♪
♪
- [bleep]
[knocks on door]
- Hello?
[suspenseful music]
[knocks on door]
[door opens]
- Hey, what'’s up?
- Hey, what'’s up?
- Not much.
- Nev.
- Hey, Nev.
- Did we speak on the phone?
- Yeah, I'’m the one that
you talked to on the phone.
- So, Lanum.
- Lanum.
- But is that--
- No, it'’s not my real name.
- That'’s not your real name.
What'’s your name?
- It'’s Marcus.
- Okay, Marcus.
Why don'’t you follow me
out here to...
♪
Okay, so this is...
- Hi.
- Hey.
- Marcus,
AKA Lanum,
and that'’s about
as far as we got.
- Okay, who are you?
- I'’m Marcus.
Um, I'’m from Dallas.
- How old are you?
I'’m 43.
- And how long
have you been doing this?
- For, like,
the last three years.
I actually created the persona
in 2013 in December.
I remember that,
um, '’cause I tried
online dating,
and, um, it--
I just didn'’t get anything--
any response and stuff.
- So what happened?
You turned 40,
and were just like,
"I'’m gonna start catfishing"?
- It just started off
as a social experiment,
and then it turned into
an addiction.
Something that, you know,
got a hold of me
when I was vulnerable.
You know, I couldn'’t understand
why people--
you know, women couldn'’t,
you know--
online, couldn'’t, like, date me.
- Did you have any brothers
that died?
- No.
- So those stories were all...
- Yeah, I just made
that [bleep] up.
- For why?
Why did you make that up?
- Well, I didn'’t-- I didn'’t know
if we were gonna meet or not
'’cause I work nights
and then I sleep during the day,
so it'’s kind of hard to--
it kills your social life,
working at night.
So I had to kind of have--
create something
to where my time was limited.
- You know what kills
your social life?
When you think
you'’re dating someone
that you'’re in love with
and you'’re gonna have kids with
and you'’re not meeting
anyone else
because someone'’s feeding you
bull[bleep] over the phone.
That'’s what kills
your social life.
What do you have to say to--
to this girl right here?
I mean, is she the youngest girl
you'’ve ever catfished?
- Yes.
- You were pretending to be
a 25-year-old...
- Right.
- Among other things.
- Man, I'’m really sorry.
[soft dramatic music]
♪
- Well, why at any point
in us talking
did you not tell me?
- I wanted to tell you,
and I should have.
- Cause you--well,
you could have just told me.
You could have just told me,
and it--and it would have gone
way differently.
♪
- I should have told you.
I wanna stop doing this.
That'’s the whole deal,
and I thought that
she would be the perfect one
to have the opportunity
to come clean with
and see if there might be
a chance.
- To see if there might be
a chance that--
that it'’ll work out
between you guys?
- Maybe.
I mean,
my feelings for her are genuine.
I really do care about her.
- Yeah, but you were talking
to someone else
for half the time that you were
supposed to be in love with her.
- Kylee--yeah, what happ--
- Telling here the same thing.
- Kylee?
- Yeah.
- That was a mistake.
With Kylee,
I got so intrigued
with how she acted.
I mean, she was very,
uh, she enjoyed sexting,
and, um, I got caught up in it,
but what I feel for you
is genuine.
It'’s real.
- It'’s not.
- It is.
- How can you say that
when nothing that I know of you
is real at all?
Nothing.
Not one thing.
- Since we'’ve been
making the show,
every girl or guy
that'’s ever been in Ari'’s place
fears that they'’re talking to
some
mid-forty-something-year-old man
who'’s sad, sitting at home
in his crusty boxers,
like, typing into the computer,
and you'’re that guy.
We finally met you...
♪
And that sucks for you.
- Right, totally.
- Yeah, but it also
sucks even more
for Ari and all the other girls
whose time you wasted.
♪
You'’re not the victim here.
♪
- Can I go to the car?
- Yes.
♪
- ♪ You'’ll see me hurtin'’ ♪
♪
♪ When my heart it breaks
♪
♪ I'’ll put on a performance ♪
♪
♪ I'’ll put on a brave face ♪
♪
[dramatic music]
- Why write in to the show?
If you wanted
to tell her the truth,
you could have done that.
- Right.
- Well, I wanted to come clean.
You know, I was Jeff
that wrote you guys.
- We figured you--
- We know that.
- Right.
- We knew that
from the second
we read the email.
- And I wanted to get clean
with this [bleep].
- You'’d do better to just
post it on your Facebook page.
- I could have done that.
- Right.
♪
Are you getting help for this?
- I'’m gonna go talk to Ari
for a second.
- Getting help for online...
- Yeah.
- No.
No, I don'’t--
I just need to stop.
- And kind of
revealing yourself,
this'’ll be the--
the doorstop?
This'’ll be the thing
that totally--
- It'’s the thing that ends it.
I-I sick of it.
I just wanna come clean,
and hopefully start something
or not.
- It'’s--you'’re not
gonna start something.
- Yeah, I got that now.
- Even if she wanted to,
I wouldn'’t let her
start something with you.
Period.
Not after what you did.
- [sighs]
♪
- [sniffles]
- Okay.
Hi.
- I do not wanna go back.
- Look, you don'’t have
to do anything...
- Mm-hmm.
- But this guy needs
to hear from you.
- What does he want to hear?
- He needs you--
I think he needs to hear
that you'’re hurt.
'’Cause he still thinks
he'’s a sweet guy.
I mean, the fact that
he thinks there'’s a chance,
like, he'’s so not getting it.
- Yeah.
♪
[sighs]
- So this was really all
about getting here to meet you
because you wanted to see
if there was a chance with her?
- Yeah.
I love her, man.
- Yeah, well,
it'’s not gonna happen.
- Yeah, you said.
- This is actually
a very selfish thing
that you'’re doing
to reach out to the person
that you'’ve been lying to,
and see if you have
a future with her.
Which is more [bleep] up.
- I wanna be with her.
I mean, but--
- I get it, and she gets it,
and we get it.
- All right, we'’re good.
♪
- [exhales]
We should go.
- [bleep] this guy.
He'’s older than my mom.
That'’s just not gonna happen.
For him to even just think
for a second after all this
that I would [bleep] come
over here to [bleep] Texas
to live with this guy.
Like, I don'’t even [bleep]
know you.
- He'’s not this harmless
little puppy dog.
I mean, he'’s [bleep] 43.
both: Yeah.
- He'’s pretending to be 25.
That is not cool.
[knocks on door]
- Hi.
- Hey.
- Morning.
- Good morning.
[upbeat music]
- What are you thinking
and feeling about all of this?
- I'’m still hurt.
I don'’t want anything
to do with him.
He was even texting me
last night,
and trying
to make me feel guilty
for not wanting to be with him.
- What did he say?
- I have the messages.
- [groans]
- "I know it'’s over,
"and it never really began,
but in my heart,
it was so real."
- He'’s playing the victim still.
- Yeah.
- Anyway, and then--
and then he said,
"You got nothing to say?"
And you said,
"I don'’t know you,"
and then he said,
"[bleep] you."
- He'’s two-faced.
- Right.
- Yeah.
- Do you wanna talk to him?
- Yeah.
- What do you wanna know?
- Yeah, what'’s left for you to--
- I mean, I wanna talk him that,
you know, I don'’t want anything
to do with you,
and to delete the photos
and to not try to use
'’em against me in any way.
- All right, guys,
let'’s do it.
- Good morning, Marcus.
It'’s Nev.
Just talk about today
and seeing if you'’re interested
in talking to us.
- We'’ll see you soon.
Okay.
- Put on your game face.
- Right.
- Okay.
Let'’s do it.
[soft dramatic music]
There he is.
- Ooh, watch your step.
- Yeah, all right.
- How'’s it going?
- Thanks.
Come on in, you guys.
♪
All right.
- So look,
'’cause this is basically
your last opportunity
to talk to Ari.
- Um, I bought her something
that she can have that'’s hers.
Let me go get it.
[dramatic music]
- [whispers]
This guy has balls.
- What is it?
- It was a ring.
♪
It was, like--engagement ring.
- [exhales]
I don'’t want it.
[bleep] you.
- [sighs]
- You don'’t understand
how this is,
like, the worst thing
you could possibly give her?
You know what I mean?
Like, it only--
- No, because it--
'’cause it hurts her.
It makes her feel guilty
for not wanting to be with you.
- No, I mean--
- Yes, that is
the effect on her.
- The course--the course
of our conversation was--
- Right, but that--
but that was all a lie.
So, for--
- Ri--no, to me it wasn'’t.
- No, I know,
but for you to think that
she might actually want a ring
from you after all of this--
- It just scares me that
you'’re not grasping that.
- I'’m grasping it.
- No, you'’re not.
[soft dramatic music]
♪
- [crying softly]
All my feelings were so real,
and you--
you really used me,
and I--I don'’t understand why
because I had--
I hadn'’t done anything to you,
and you made me feel guilty
for not wanting
to be with you...
♪
But why would I want to
after this?
[exhales]
Do you still have the pictures?
- What pictures?
- Pictures that I have sent you.
- I can delete '’em.
I have pictures that you--
- Yeah, I would like
that you delete them...
- Okay.
- And delete my contact.
- Okay.
- I want you to show Ari
that you'’re deleting
her pictures.
- Okay.
I deleted it.
- All right.
- I-I just don'’t want contact
with you.
- That'’s fine.
- Yeah, I don'’t have anything
to say anymore.
I just want to--
I want this to be over.
♪
- She said her piece,
and she can go her away.
You'’ve done
some [bleep] up [bleep].
Pretending that you'’re 25.
Getting naked pictures
of a 21-year-old girl.
- I don'’t know why--
I just got addicted to it.
Um, and I wanna stop.
- Well, get your [bleep]
together.
- You can start right away.
Just start being the person
that you say you are.
- I can do that.
- Good luck.
- ♪ This time
I'’ll keep an overview ♪
♪
♪ This time
I'’ll keep away from you ♪
- Well, how do you feel?
- I feel pretty pissed.
- Maybe he will correct
his behavior.
Let'’s hope.
For the sake
of all the other Aris out there.
- Yeah.
- ♪ This time
I'’ll keep away from you ♪
♪
1003
00:40:30.