But we obtain result in the 4th, a selfie Paul claims is him in their military uniform.

It leads us towards the Instagram web page of Juan Avalos, a actual life marine whoever web web page features exactly the same pictures provided for us by Paul. He has got uploaded a caution about catfish because therefore numerous fraudsters have actually been utilizing their photos to scam individuals.

Juan told us: “this option will say almost anything to anyone and lie. We come across many communications, also because they truly are therefore profoundly in love. If we suggest to them it is not me personally they nevertheless don’t think it”

For the following weeks that are few my producer will continue to talk with Paul Richard regarding the phone when I listen in.

Paul speaks gushingly about their future life together and their intends to go on to the united kingdom to be with Kathryn once their military service finishes.

The conversations develop longer and much more regular, punctuated with kisses, flirtatious responses and a request that is regular photos.

There is just one single thing standing in the form of our future pleasure – Paul’s son is unwell and desperately requires attention that is medical. He wants $800 (?620) to cover young Rick’s therapy.

Paul states the cash should be paid by us to their nanny in the usa, a lady called Marcy Krovak.

It is a breakthrough because, unlike Paul Richard, Marcy Krovak is really a person that is real.

Mule: somebody who transfers cash or items for the catfish

Catfish require genuine visitors to get cash for them as some type of recognition needs to be shown whenever transactions that are collecting. Some of those cash mules are innocent victims tricked into forwarding on money, other people have been in in the scam.

We do not understand whether Marcy is with in upon it or perhaps not, therefore we head to Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, where she lives.

We deliver her a tiny bit of cash to see if she’s going to choose it.

The second 3 days are invested sitting in a blacked out van outside Marcy’s neighborhood Western Union.

We spot a wide range of ladies who appear to be her going in but each and every time it is an security. This is certainly false.

Then, simply even as we think our sting has unsuccessful, we be given a notification telling us the bucks happens to be acquired utilizing Marcy’s ID.

But it is been gathered 400 kilometers away – in ny.

Whenever we ask Marcy what are you doing, she claims she is additionally a target of our catfish: “I never ever would definitely head to Western Union and select that cash up however now someone’s utilized my info and gone and picked it. It absolutely was maybe maybe maybe not me personally, I didn’t do so. Please find this individual. “

The unveil: Unmasking the catfish

It looks like we’ve struck another dead end, then again our catfish makes a blunder.

Paul Richard unintentionally makes a true title label – Dan Coolman – on a single of their WhatsApp photos.

We sort through all of the Dan Coolmans in Nigeria and we also find person who runs a barbershop in Ibadan. He is making use of the number that is same our catfish happens to be calling us from.

Dan Coolman is yet another false title, but we uncover the phone is registered to Daniel Joseph Okechkwu.

We then find a Twitter account with that title while the profile that is same while the one employed by Dan Coolman.

We now have finally uncovered the genuine identification of your catfish.

We head for Ibadan, but because of the time we make it he is gone. The doorways towards the barber store are locked and locals state it has been closed for days.

There clearly was a picture of our catfish posing with a person on the relative region of the building, but no-one generally seems to understand where Daniel Joseph Okechkwu moved.

After 3 months of speaking with our catfish, we opt to call him and simply tell him whom we are really.

Interestingly, he does not straight hang up married secrets prices away. He sticks to his tale about being truly a soldier that is us insists their title is Paul Richard. He denies scamming anyone and then comes to an end the phone call.

It is like a disappointing end to our search, but later on that evening he calls right right back.

This time around, Daniel Joseph Okechkwu confesses. He claims it is the very very first love scam he is ever pulled and which he was obligated to do so due to the closing of their barber store.

He seems genuine in which he apologises when it comes to method he’s got addressed us.

Our catfish claims he would like to stop being fully a love fraudster. But he requires us to offer him cash, in order that they can manage to stop tricking others from their money.

It’s a catfish twist that is classic. They never give up the scam even though they’ve been rumbled.

You can view BBC Panorama’s Billion-Pound Romance Ripoff on Monday November that is 19th at on BBC One, or a while later on BBCiPlayer.