Many are those who want to believe something even if there is a possibility of it being false. Rather than checking the validity of it they go on in dream land believing what they want it to be.
The woman who claimed to be the guardian, was a fellow student in one of this guys classes. After seeing pictures of the "guardian", I don't believe she was smart enough to dream this up herself. Plus, didn't anyone question why an 8 year old would be writing to a college newspaper, and why she would ask for one reporter specifically?