Observed Helen Smit, MTV programming director, “Many people find hooking up on the internet much easier than the old fashioned way. These days, finding romance can be as simple as hitting on your laptop or your mobile phone. Messaging on iPhones has replaced dinner dates, and face-to-face conversations have been swapped for email. But if the guy or girl you've fallen for online is lying about who they really are, then you’ve been the victim of a Catfish or sweetheart scam.”

The new Mtv series from the producers of the acclaimed 2010 documentary, Catfish, explores this growing phenomenon by bringing together couples who've previously interacted solely through their LCD screens. They may have been bitten by the love bug in the digital space, but what will happen when they meet in real life for the first time?

Each week in Catfish, host Nev Schulman (himself a victim of a Catfishing prankster), and his film-making pal, Max Joseph, take a hopeful romantic partner on an emotional journey to discover the real truth about their significant other. Has the object of their affection been telling the truth? Will true love truly blossom? When that fateful knock on the front door finally comes, only one thing is certain - that these incredible voyages will be filled with mystery, uncertainty, forgiveness, joy, and sometimes, even shocking revelations.

Says Smit, “To ensure that you don’t become Catfish bait when Cupid comes calling, avoid potential online lovers who: proclaim instant feelings of love; want to leave a dating site immediately to switch over to personal email or instant messaging accounts; look picture perfect in their profile but avoid chatting on video; keep planning visits or face-to-face encounters that keep getting upended by tragic or unexpected events; ask for financial help with travel, sudden medical emergencies, hospital bills, or to cover an unexpected financial loss.”

To join the conversation about Catfish, go to Facebook or follow @MTVonDStv on Twitter using the hashtag #Catfish_SA.