I would have a difficult time believing that Manti was "catfish hoaxed" if I hadn't experienced something similar. (this is long, but bear with me,
it's worth it..
Several years ago, I was doing the action figure and collectible thing and it was a fun hobby/side business. Along comes this new guy on our online forum who had this unbelievable collection. I was skeptical, but he explained that his father had died and he inherited money, didn't have to work, had this amazing collection. I was still skeptical until we did some business transactions and I saw his house and collection for myself. He also had various motorcycles, a video game room, basically his property was like a big man cave. Story appears to check out.
Over the next few years on the forum, he begins dating a girl from the forum who lives in Canada. They kept it on the down low and I didn't know until they met a bunch of us at a social lunch gathering. Over the next year or so they would stop by whenever they were going to Chicago or whatever. I communicated with both of them via email and bought and sold collectibles with him.
He was supportive to me when my mother was diagnosed with Cancer and he told me how hard it was to lose his father to Cancer. Over the next year or so, he had his own illness issues and was in and out of the hospital. Even posted pics from the Hospital. On two or three occasions, he hosted parties at his house and/or we spent the night on the way out to the East Coast.
When I got out of the Collectible business, I sold my entire inventory to him. I drove a big truck to his place loaded to the ceiling with boxes.
While in route, he calls and says "By the way... I got married this summer. I haven't mentioned it online or to any of the guys because of the breakup I had with [Canadian Girlfriend]. Weird, but I guess so.
While at his house and conversing with his new wife, she shows honeymoon pictures
from 4 or 5 years ago...
-- We don't say a word.... but we make the business transaction and bail... this guy's married and has been stringing along this girlfriend for a year or two --
Later I get a phone call from the Canadian girl.
now the shit gets bizzare...
Everytime she (or any of us) would come to visit, he would hide all of his wife's belongings in a back bathroom that was "off limits due to a plumbing problem".
Now get this... His DAD NEVER DIED. He strung me and the girlfriend along with stories from HIS WIFE's FATHER. Then to top it all off... HE was never sick either. We think he used it as cover for whenever he couldn't make the two lives match up, IE: when his wife wasn't out of town on business or whatever.
I can understand him stringing the girlfriend along with lies to keep her separate from the wife... but why lie to me? Why make up shit just to identify with me when I was going through the worst experiences of my life? Just to glom onto some sympathy? To stir up comradery where it isn't warranted?
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It's made me much more cautious of "online friendships" and is one of the reasons I don't use Craigslist.
My wife would remind me of that story every time that Pragestock came around wondering if I should trust anyone from THIS board.
I reassured her that several people were all meeting at the same time and I had my car and could leave whenever I wanted. The first time I met Mr. and Mrs. Prages, if I had been the ONLY ONE there, I may have left. (sorry you two, it's all good now... you two graduated to "real life" friends even though my wife is still more guarded than I am. 
Before the above happened to me and people I know, I wouldn't have believed that a "Catfish" scheme was even possible... but it just opened my eyes to how caught up in deceitful activity some people can be for reasons that even they might not understand.
