A devout Stranger Things fan faced heartbreak and financial loss after mistakenly believing she was communicating with a star from the show, only to discover it was a hoax.

The acclaimed Netflix series, since its premiere in 2016, has garnered a massive following, captivating viewers worldwide.

This fan felt she had struck gold when she began receiving messages from someone she believed to be an actor from the beloved show.

However, appearances can be deceiving.

As shared on the YouTube series Catfished, McKayla, a single mother, recounted her year-long interactions with someone posing as Dacre Montgomery, known for his role as Billy Hargrove in Stranger Things.

McKayla recalled their instant connection after she became a member of an online community for creatives, following her separation from her husband.

Even though initial doubts clouded her mind, certain gestures from her online contact convinced her she was indeed chatting with Montgomery.

"I am obsessed with Stranger Things," McKayla shared. "[His character] Billy is just this bully. He kind of comes in, tries to dominate, which is totally unlike his actual personality."

In reality, Montgomery has been dating model Liv Pollock for six years. However, the individual communicating with McKayla suggested that Montgomery's relationship was unstable and filled with discontent.

"He was venting to me after a few months about his partner, saying she is very controlling of him," she recalled."

"He doesn't get to do the things he wants to do. She's always there. She's always got to supervise."

"I kind of empathize with that because my ex-husband was that way."

After communicating for roughly a year, both confessed to having feelings for each other.

She explained: "He said, you know, 'There's nothing like, you know, the feeling of love when it's reciprocated'. And I said, 'What?' And he said, 'I'm indirectly asking you out'."

The individual masquerading as the Power Rangers star cautioned McKayla about publicizing their relationship, citing he was 'still with Liv', although he insinuated they were 'technically' separated.

What bolstered her belief that she was genuinely engaging with Montgomery was when he directed her to the Stranger Things season 4 episode named 'Dear Billy'.

This episode, showcasing the actor's unexpected reappearance, was suggested to her a night prior to its official release. To her, this was a confirmation, thinking only the true actor could possess such insider knowledge.

Moreover, she was presented with poems mirroring the style of Montgomery's 2020 anthology 'DKMH: Poems.'

McKayla revealed she had transferred around $10,000 to this supposed actor. He alleged that his finances were tied with Pollock in a joint account, preventing him from independent expenditures.

Drawing from personal experience, McKayla did not hastily question this rationale, given she had encountered similar circumstances with her former partner.

Yet, upon closer scrutiny, the Catfished crew deduced that Montgomery and Pollock remained a couple and McKayla's online confidante was an imposter.

This revelation was strengthened by the fact that an autograph, purportedly from the Elvis actor, forwarded to her was counterfeit. This signature was consistent with a plethora of online images all bearing the identical autograph.

In another deceptive act, the scammer boasted about dishes he allegedly prepared. One such photograph of lasagna he shared was discerned to be extracted from a recipe by Martha Stewart.

While the truth understandably left McKayla deeply upset and dismayed, she took solace in the clarity surrounding her virtual liaison.

Reflecting on the ordeal, she conveyed: "If you're someone like me, you're afraid of abandonment and you're a real big people pleaser and you're very co-dependent."

"These scammers, they just kind of come in and they leech off that."

"It's a dopamine fix every time you wake up, every time you go to bed, several hours a day. It's a fix. It's a hit."