Ah, Internet, my old foe. We meet again.

I've heard about things like this happening, but I never gave them much thought; perhaps because I am wary of all things Internet and protect myself accordingly.
(Perhaps because I am naïve.)

Last week my brother Al came to me, asking if someone else could move into the house.  He'd been "dating" a girl online for a month, he said, and she was coming to Roosevelt to date and hopefully marry him.  He wanted to pay her rent (at my house), drive her around and help her get a job, and get an apartment to move into with her after the supposed wedding.
We raised our eyebrows a little.  What kind of girl does that?  Accept a marriage proposal from someone they haven't even met?  Especially someone who has obvious developmental disabilities (as anyone who's tried to read his writing can tell you), and nothing to offer in the way of financial support.
Very strange.

But, after some discussion - with my parents as well  - we decided to help him out, because we want him to be happy.  He's had a rough time since returning from his mission, and anything that will help him move on has got to be a good thing.  Right?

So after three days of frantic planning (also, scurrying to get our bathroom done; she was supposed to arrive Sunday), I got a phone call from my dad.  He and my mom had checked out the "boarding pass" this girl had sent a picture of, and there was no such flight.  Long story short:  it was a hoax.  An elaborate, month-long hoax on my VERY OBVIOUSLY handicapped brother, who bought every single word.

It took a couple more days to figure out that he sent money (from his meager income) so she could buy a ticket to fly here.  And he is STILL pursuing her, not believing that she is faking him out.

We have no idea who this person is, but I sure wish I did.  Preying on unsuspecting, desperate young men is deplorable, certainly.  But unsuspecting, handicapped desperate young men?
There are no words.