If you spent any time on social media during season 4 of 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days, you know the name David Murphey. He was the guy from Las Vegas. The guy with the private investigator. The guy who spent seven years—yes, seven—talking to a blonde woman named Lana on a pay-to-play Ukrainian dating site.
Everyone thought he was being catfished. Even the producers seemed to think he was being catfished.
David and Lana 90 Day Fiance remains one of the most polarizing storylines in the franchise's history because it challenged every single trope we know about "international romance" scams. Usually, the person doesn't show up. Usually, the photo is a stock image of a model from Belarus. But then, in a train station in Ukraine, Lana actually walked out from behind a pillar.
It was one of the few times the internet was collectively, and loudly, wrong. But just because she existed didn't mean the relationship was "real" in the way most of us define it.
The Mathematical Madness of David and Lana
Let’s talk about the money. David admitted on camera that he spent upwards of $300,000 over the course of his "relationship" with Lana.
Most of that didn't go to her.
It went to the website. The site used a predatory credit system where every message, every minute of chat, and every photo shared cost David cold, hard cash. He wasn't just paying for love; he was paying for the infrastructure of love. He could have bought a house. He could have retired early. Instead, he bought thousands of digital chat bubbles.
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People call David "delusional," but it's more complicated than that. He’s a computer programmer. He understands logic. In his mind, the high cost was just the price of admission for a "high-quality" woman who didn't want to be hounded by scammers on free apps like Tinder or Bumble. It’s a bizarre form of elitism that ended up costing him his life savings.
Why Lana Finally Showed Up
For years, Lana ghosted him. She stood him up at cafes. She gave him "wrong" addresses. David even traveled to Ukraine multiple times, only to be left standing in the cold with a bouquet of flowers that eventually wilted.
So, why did she finally appear on season 4?
Honestly, the most likely answer is the TLC paycheck and the pressure of a film crew. Before the cameras arrived, Lana had zero incentive to meet David in person. On the website, she was a commodity. Once a "user" meets their "provider" in real life and moves to a free platform like WhatsApp, the revenue stream for the agency disappears.
Lana wasn't just a woman; she was an employee of a system. When she finally met David in that Kyiv train station, the look on her face wasn't exactly "true love." It was the look of someone finishing a long shift at a job they don't particularly like.
The "Engagement" That Wasn't
David proposed. Of course he did. He did it at the airport right before flying back to Vegas. He gave her a ring, and she said yes, but her body language was screaming. She struggled to even use the iPhone David bought her because, as she claimed, her "long fingernails" made it too difficult to type.
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Spoiler: It wasn't the fingernails. It was the fact that she didn't want to be off the paid site where she could talk to multiple "Davids" simultaneously.
By the time the Tell All episode aired, things had soured. David defended her fiercely, attacking anyone—including Big Ed and Shaun Robinson—who dared to suggest Lana was using him. He was her knight in shining armor, even if she didn't want his shield.
Life After the Cameras
Where are they now? They aren't together.
David has since moved on, but he hasn't moved away from the "type." He’s been spotted on various dating sites again. He even tried to sell his home and live the "van life," looking for adventure. Lana, meanwhile, has popped up on Cameo and Instagram, capitalizing on her 15 minutes of fame. She later claimed that much of her storyline was scripted by producers, which is a common refrain for cast members who don't like how they were edited.
However, the receipts don't lie. David really spent that money. He really waited at those cafes.
The Lesson for the Rest of Us
The David and Lana 90 Day Fiance saga is a masterclass in Sunk Cost Fallacy. This is a psychological phenomenon where a person continues an endeavor as a result of previously invested resources (time, money, or effort).
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- Financial Investment: Once you hit the $100,000 mark, admitting you were wrong feels like admitting your life was a waste.
- Time Investment: Seven years is a massive chunk of one’s middle age.
- Emotional Ego: David didn't want to be the "sucker." By insisting Lana was real, he remained the "romantic hero."
If you find yourself in a digital relationship where you are paying per message, you aren't in a relationship. You are a customer. Authentic connection doesn't require a credit card swipe for every "hello."
How to Spot a "Lana" Scam
- Platform Lock-In: They refuse to move to a free video chat service like FaceTime or Zoom.
- The "Professional" Aesthetic: Their photos look like they were taken by a pro (because they usually were, for the agency’s catalog).
- Endless Obstacles: There is always a reason they can't meet—a sick relative, a lost passport, or "broken" internet.
- Language Barriers as a Shield: They use translators or the site’s built-in translation to avoid deep, nuanced conversations that might reveal they aren't who they say they are.
David Murphey’s story isn't just about a guy who got played. It’s about the lengths the human mind will go to to protect a fantasy. He wanted a specific dream, and he was willing to pay a specific price. Whether it was "worth it" is something only David can decide, but for the viewers, it served as a stark, 4K-resolution warning about the dangers of international "pay-to-play" dating.
If you’re currently talking to someone overseas, ensure you’ve had a video call within the first week. No excuses. If they can’t show their face on a screen in 2026, they aren't interested in your heart—just your wallet.
Actionable Next Steps
Check your digital footprint and privacy settings if you're using international dating apps. Use "Reverse Image Search" on Google or TinEye to see if the person you're talking to has photos appearing on multiple "mail-order bride" or agency sites under different names. If a site requires "credits" to send a text, close the tab and find a platform that prioritizes human connection over per-minute billing.