Alan Stanley’s computer crashed so he had to purchase a new one. He set up his personal email address then logged into his faux social media accounts. When he messaged Emma, however, the name that popped up on her end was Alan Stanley. Still Alan didn’t confess. Instead, he told Emma that he bought the computer used and didn’t know how to change the old owner’s name on it.
There began to be too many red flags for Emma to ignore. When Ronnie sent her a picture he allegedly took at an aquarium of a clownfish. Emma put this photo through the Reverse Image Search app and it came up as a Trip Advisor review posted by someone named Alan S. Emma then searched the name Alan Stanley and it uncovered her catfisher.
Finally, after deceiving Emma for more than a year, Alan was forced to confess to Emma what he had done, but he only did so when faced with the overwhelming evidence that Emma presented to him. There were tears and shouts and apologies and explanations that ended their romance.
Emma was hurt and heartbroken and embarrassed and angry and shocked. The catfishing was a crushing blow to her and she couldn’t move past the experience. She was still comforted by the photos Alan used to create Ronnie…the photos of Adem Guzel. Emma located Adem on Facebook and sent him a message. She thought that Adem should know that his online photos were being hijacked and used by a catfisher.