Manti Te’o’s “girlfriend” was only slightly less authentic than a Kardashian, and none of us is exactly the same person virtually as we are actually. In this blend of reality and unreality that is our world now, the line gets blurred for some people.

From that wonderful Awl blog, an excerpt from “The Hoax Exposer,” Molly Shalgos’ interview with Taryn Wright, a Chicago day trader who exposes Internet fakes in her spare time:

“Question:

What’s the general reaction of a person perpetrating this kind of hoax when you first confront them?

Taryn Wright:

It’s been bizarre. I usually send them the blog entry and they immediately delete their page. I ask if we can talk and most give me their phone number. A huge number of them begin to consider me a friend. I’m Facebook friends with three of them, and I text and email with three more.

They don’t seem angry with me. It’s almost like it’s a relief that someone made them stop.

Question:

Do any of them seek out any kind of mental help after they’re uncovered?

Taryn Wright:

A few of them have. I’ve helped a couple find therapists. A lot of them have been pathologically lying from an early age and some have already been through therapy. One of them had a Munchausen by Internet diagnosis.

Question:

Ohhh, let’s do some talking about Munchausen By Internet. Explain that one, please!

Taryn Wright:

Well, it’s not formally recognized by the psychology establishment, but a psychiatrist named Marc Feldman coined the term in the early ’00s. It’s a form of Munchausen syndrome, but instead of faking sick, or making their children or family members sick for attention, the person with MBI pretends to be sick online.

They go into support groups and spin tragic stories and hog attention. If they’re caught, they usually delete their profiles and move on to a new support group.

Question:

How many documented cases of that have there been?

Taryn Wright:

An awful lot. Dr. Feldman has seen a few hundred by now.”