This is a CBC Podcast. A BBC World Service and CBC Podcast production.

Before we start, please note this series contains adult themes and strong language. So yeah, my name is Hannah and I'm a journalist and I guess I wanted to ask an obvious question

in regards to what I'm working on.

Do you know Janessa Brazil?

The answer from the woman on the other end of the line is no.

Right, okay, I mean the reason why we ask is that I'm actually working on a podcast about catfishing.

That's me calling a neighbor of Janessa Brazil's in a city in Florida.

My producer found Janessa's address on an old voter registration role.

I've made a lot of calls like this, cold calls that went nowhere.

There's loads and loads of images around her everywhere, so you've never met a Janessa before.

We traced old addresses, phone numbers. I'm... We did not receive the complete number.

This is the number you had to call.

Area code first.

Please hang up and try your call again.

I subscribe to Pornhub to find her. I messaged a guy on Facebook multiple times who seemed to be Janessa's ex-husband.

I called a store in Rio de Janeiro where I was told

her father might have worked.

Hi, what's the father English? No? Okay. I think she's finding out if someone speaks English. I can speak to me.

Senora, Algram for the English. I wanted someone to tell me why Janessa seemed to go dark around 2016. Before that

she had left a vibrant digital footprint. In 2011 she was photographed flanked by several

tank top wearing adult entertainment stars at the launch of a new tequila brand.

In 2013 she promoted swimwear for a label specializing in

...