New 'Hey Beautiful' docuseries on Hulu explores twisted international romance scam

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Women will tell you he was charming, attentive, and very handsome, but in Hulu's new three-part docuseries "Hey Beautiful: Anatomy of a Romance Scam," we also learn he was completely fictional.

"It's got more twists than a pretzel factory, I'll tell you that," said director Andy Robertson. "This story keeps changing and changing and changing."

Robertson spoke with Eyewitness News this week and said the docuseries follows three women who fell in love with the same man online without ever meeting him in person.

Some of the women were even scammed out of their life savings.

In the series, you also get to meet Brian Haugen, whose photos and likeness were used as part of the scam.

Haugen is an actor, celebrity makeup artist and founder of his own cosmetic line - and his life was totally upended.

Haugen and Robertson discovered thousands of profiles using Haugen's pictures.

They work with cyber security specialists and law enforcement officials to track down scammers, and shine a light on how these scams are so successful.

"We get to have compassion instead of just jumping on them and saying, 'Why would you do something like that? Why would you give money? Why would you fall in love with a guy that you don't even know online?'" said Haugen. "There's way more to the story than what you know."

Robertson hopes people watch the series and begin to think twice about what they share on the internet.

"If you're having an online relationship, tell somebody about it," he said. "If you're in a relationship with somebody and they're trying to keep it a secret, that is a giant red flag that you have to watch out for, and if they start to ask for money, be very, very, very careful."

"Hey Beautiful: Anatomy of a Romance Scam" is streaming now on Hulu and Disney+.

Disney is the parent company of Hulu and this ABC station.