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View in browser  |  Your newsletter preferences Not yet a subscriber? By Samantha Spengler | 11.18.23 The Chronicles of Catfishing In 2005, Nora Ephron's wholesome romcom You've Got Mail was only 7 years old, but the internet was already a vastly different place than the one on which Ephron's unwitting characters IM'd themselves into a forbidden love. DSL had overtaken dial-up, meaning you could chat with friends faster and even send each other photos. People often communicated simultaneously via IM, email, and SMS, all while updating their MySpace pages. It is this internet on which this week's story takes place. But the events in Nadya Labi's feature, "An IM Infatuation Turned to Romance. Then the Truth Came Out," are decidedly not wholesome. Labi's tale chronicles a case of catfishing long before the term became recognizable, and though it contains the predictable unveiling, there is far more destruction and many more plot twists in store. When I first read this piece and encountered the bombshell revelation at the end, I knew it was a worthy one to share.   It begins as a familiar story. A 45-year-old father of two working a blue-collar job in a small town turns to a false online identity to escape midlife mundanity. Assuming the identity of a handsome young 18-year-old marine, Thomas Montgomery worms his way into the inbox of a 17-year-old girl and initiates a disturbing romance. Montgomery is a classic online predator; he is distinctly aware his actions are reprehensible but has also lost touch with reality. What happens next unfolds over thousands of IMs and has ripple effects across numerous lives. The fallout is devastating, though it turns out Montgomery isn't the only one doing the deceiving. Labi's piece captures an early era of social networking when people were still discovering the ways the tool could be abused. It's proof that what happens on the screen never truly remains there. It exemplifies how human loneliness, when given free rein online, can have devastating, real-world impacts. The story also contains so much bad behavior and so many about-faces and sharp turns that you'll finish feeling disgusted, astounded and strangely… a little relieved. Give it a read and then I would like to know: What is a major plot twist that you'll never forget? Share a world event with surprising origins, one of your favorite films (please, no Sixth Sense or Fight Club), or even your family's most-repeated gossip. Send me an email or comment below the story.   Please note: WIRED Classics is taking a break after the holiday, so we will be back in your inbox on December 2nd! Until then, Sam Samantha Spengler, Research Editor Read the Full Story Originally published in August 2007. SUBSCRIBE TO READ THIS STORY  An IM Infatuation Turned to Romance. Then the Truth Came Out He was a balding, middle-aged father of two posing as a strapping young marine. She was 17, blond, and looking for love online. Their digital deception was flirtatious—and fatal. You Might Also Like This Is Catfishing on an Industrial Scale Hired as customer service reps, these freelancers were instead tasked with luring in the lonely and lovestruck through a network of dating and hookup sites. 'Date Me' Google Docs and the Hyper-Optimized Quest for Love Some people have ditched dating apps—and opted to bare their souls via a public, view-only link instead. Love, Loss, and Pig Butchering Scams Bruce had kind eyes and dressed well. Evelyn fell for him on Hinge, and then he stole $300,000. Now, she's following the money trail. The War Vet, the Dating Site, and the Phone Call From Hell Jared Johns found out too late that swapping messages with the pretty girl from a dating site would mean serious trouble. If only he had known who she really was. People Are Dating All Wrong, According to Data Science Large data sets provide intriguing—and dismaying—insights into who we're drawn to and how much that matters for our romantic happiness. ADVERTISEMENT The Latest Paradigm Shift A week ago, I reexamined a 2010 point-counterpoint written by then WIRED editor in chief Chris Anderson and dotcom-era magazine writer Michael Wolff. The two authors mourned a bygone age of the World Wide Web that had fostered creativity and in which amateur, inventive development—"one thousand flowers"—proliferated. By 2010, they argued, all we had left were streamlined, superficial platforms owned and operated by corporations so large no one could hope to bring something new and groundbreaking to the table. They pointed out that the big guys always find a way to contain, control, and exploit paradigm-shifting innovation. I asked readers how they thought capitalism might affect our newest paradigm-shifter, artificial intelligence, and what the future might look like if (or when) monopolies take over AI. Melissa sent an email reminding me about WIRED contributor Cory Doctorow's theory of the "enshittification" of platforms. On X, @Realbugsycat joined the grieving. "It's a shame because those 'thousand flowers' are often the ones pushing the technology forward, exploring new uses and applications. When they get locked out, innovation stalls and progress slows."   Tell me about your favorite WIRED stories and magazine-related memories, and each week I'll feature one of you here. Write to me at samantha_spengler@wired.com, and include "CLASSICS" in the subject line. Or, simply join the conversation by posting a comment below the article. GET WIRED Our Fall Sale is Officially live! Subscribe to WIRED for only $29.99 $5. That includes subscriber-only content like Steven Levy's Plaintext column, plus FREE WIRED stickers as a special bonus! ADVERTISEMENT Have questions or comments? Reply to this email.   This email was sent to you by WIRED. To ensure delivery to your inbox (not bulk or junk folders), please add our email address, wired@newsletters.wired.com, to your address book.   View our Privacy Policy Unsubscribe or manage your newsletter subscriptions   Copyright © Condé Nast 2023. One World Trade Center, New York, NY 10007. All rights reserved.