Are some people really this dumb or are a lot of these catfish shows staged?

[Sony12]

I occasionally watch some catfish shows on YouTube. Anyways the other day a video popped up on my feed and it was about this girl who had been talking to this guy who of course was stationed overseas and she started sending money to him. I have talked to women before who have said they have sent money to men (I have never asked for money) so I know that happens. The thing about these shows (this YouTube channel is called Catfished and is connected to the Social Catfish site) that makes me wonder if the whole thing is staged or not and all these people are just actors getting paid for their participation (isn't difficult to find struggling actors in California looking to get any kind of gig they can) is that they a lot of times show the FaceTime talks they have had with this person and it literally just is a still image of the person who's photo has been stolen and they are using AI to move the lips to make it look like they are actually talking.

That's what makes me think no one could really be this dumb. Maybe they could be though. 

[ExpatInItaly]

I can't speak for this specific show, though most reality shows are heavily produced. 

However,  I actually know 2 women in real life who've gotten themselves wrapped up in situations like this. One has a severe mental illness and is quite vulnerable. The other has developmental dealys and is similarly vulnerable. 

I tend to think many of those who fall for catfishing situations to this degree are often already emotionally compromised or suffering from other conditions that leave them prime targets for scammers. 

[introverted1]

My neighbor, who is perhaps gullible but not unintelligent, got engaged to a "general" she met online. He claimed to be stationed overseas in an undisclosed location. She hasn't shared all the details, and I hope she didn't send him money (she doesn't have much), but she clearly believed what was a patently false situation. One day I noticed she was no longer wearing the ring that he ostensibly mailed her. 

I think it's relatively easy to catfish people who are lonely and/or isolated socially,