Ep 20. Rachael & Vance

Rachael is a 33-year-old woman living in Ohio who has been in an online relationship with Vance for the past eight years. Despite never having met in person, Rachael believes that Vance is the love of her life and they have even talked about getting married. However, when Rachael's best friend saw Vance's pictures on social media, she became suspicious and convinced Rachael to contact Nev and Max to see if Vance is truly who he claims to be.

The episode starts with Rachael telling Nev and Max about her relationship with Vance and how he has helped her through difficult times in her life. She admits that they have never video chatted and that Vance has always given her excuses for why they can't meet in person. Rachael also reveals that Vance has been sending her money every month to help with her bills, which makes her feel guilty about doubting him.

As Nev and Max start to investigate, they quickly find out that Vance's phone number is linked to several profiles on social media with different names and locations. They also discover that the photos Vance has been using are actually stolen from a real person's Instagram page. Nev and Max suspect that Vance may not be who he says he is and that he could be leading a double life.

Nev and Max arrange a meeting with Rachael to share their findings and explain that they need her help to get to the bottom of the situation. They suggest creating a fake profile to try and lure Vance into revealing his true identity. Rachael agrees and they create a profile for a woman named Ashley who lives in the same area as Vance.

Ashley and Vance start talking online and Vance seems interested in meeting her in person. When Nev and Max set up the meeting, they are shocked to discover that the person who shows up is not Vance but a young woman named Brianna. Brianna admits that she has been pretending to be Vance and apologizes for leading Rachael on for so long. She explains that she started the relationship with Rachael as a way to escape her own difficult life and that it spiraled out of control.

Nev and Max bring Brianna to meet Rachael and they have an emotional conversation about what has happened. Rachael is devastated but says that she is grateful to finally know the truth. Brianna promises to never pretend to be someone else again and the two women part ways.

In the follow-up, Nev and Max check in with Rachael and find out that she has moved on and is dating someone new. She says that the experience has taught her to be more cautious online and to always trust her instincts.

Overall, this episode highlights the dangers of online relationships and the importance of being careful when forming connections with people online. It also shows the power of forgiveness and the healing that can come from facing the truth.