When it comes to Manti T'eo's story of online love turned cyber hoax, count Jennifer Facsina and Eddie Fujita as non-believers.
“Human relationships has to be mental and physical, not in between a computer and technology,” said Fujita.
“If there's nothing physical, how are you falling in love with someone if you don't even really know what they look like?” wondered Facsina.
Though it sounds strange, Miami matchmaker Dan Silverman told NBC 6 South Florida it happens all the time. In fact, there’s even a name for it – “catfish.”
That's when the person you think you're talking to or falling in love with online turns out to be someone else, and not the catch you were hoping to reel in.
“A lot of relationships are started online,” Silverman pointed out. “It's nothing wrong with meeting people online, I think that it should be used as supplement.”
Though many skeptics have questioned just how much T’eo really knew about his hoax relationship, Silverman believes it’s important for anyone pursuing or involved in an online relationship to meet in person, and if they aren’t able to do that, they should participate in live web chats.
