The digital age has gifted us unprecedented connection, yet with it comes a terrifying vulnerability: the power of an “Unknown Number.”
There’s a primal sense of dread that comes with receiving a cryptic, unsolicited message or call—a feeling Netflix’s gripping true-crime documentary, Unknown Number: The High School Catfish, exploits with chilling effectiveness.
This film goes beyond the typical internet horror story. It is a deep dive into a prolonged, vicious campaign of digital harassment that unravelled a small-town community and exposed a shocking, unimaginable betrayal.
For true crime enthusiasts, this documentary delivers all the elements you crave: a compelling mystery, high-stakes suspense, and a real-life drama with a twist that will leave you reeling.
Unknown Number Documentary Details
The documentary in question is officially titled Unknown Number: The High School Catfish.
- Netflix Release Date and Runtime: It was released on Netflix on August 29, 2025, with a runtime of 94 minutes.
- Genre: It firmly falls into the categories of True Crime, Thriller, and Mystery.
- Directors, Producers, and Production: The film is directed by Skye Borgman, known for her work on other unsettling true-crime narratives like Abducted in Plain Sight. It was produced by Ross M. Dinerstein and Rebecca Evans, with production companies Campfire Studios and Terminal B TV behind it, ensuring a high-quality, suspense-driven presentation.
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Unknown Number Plot Overview
The documentary centres on the lives of Michigan teenagers, Lauryn Licari and her then-boyfriend, Owen McKenny.
The story begins innocently enough, but quickly escalates when the young couple starts receiving a torrent of vulgar, taunting, and increasingly threatening text messages from an Unknown Number.
The digital harassment targets Lauryn’s self-esteem and attempts to sabotage her relationship with Owen, often speaking from the perspective of a rival.
Main People Involved:
- Lauryn Licari and Owen McKenny: The primary victims whose lives are psychologically tortured by the relentless messages.
- Lauryn’s parents, Kendra and Shawn Licari: Initially supportive figures who report the harassment to the police.
- Local Law Enforcement and the FBI: Involved in the painstaking investigation to trace the anonymous IP address.
Setting/Context: The events take place in the tight-knit community of Beal City, Michigan, starting around October 2020 and persisting persistently for over a year, forcing the small-town authorities to deal with a severe, modern-day cybercrime. The local setting contrasts sharply with the sinister, anonymous nature of the online world, amplifying the tension as suspicion starts to turn inward within the community.
Key Themes in Unknown Number
The documentary serves as a profound cultural commentary, exploring themes that resonate deeply in the connected world:
- Mystery and Suspense Behind Unknown Numbers: The film brilliantly maintains the suspense of “whodunit” for its audience, perfectly mirroring the growing paranoia and fear experienced by the victims. Every interview subjects the viewer to new theories, making the final reveal even more impactful.
- Cybersecurity, Digital Privacy, and Online Threats: It’s a stark reminder of the sophisticated tools available to harassers and the difficulty law enforcement faces in tracing anonymous digital footprints. The case highlights how seemingly innocent technology can be weaponized for psychological abuse, and the crucial role that digital forensic work plays in modern investigations.
- Psychological and Emotional Impact on Those Involved: The documentary captures the devastating toll the constant harassment takes on Lauryn and Owen, leading to anxiety, fear, and a deep-seated loss of trust in their friends and community. It explores the lasting trauma of being stalked and tormented in one’s own home, through one’s own phone.
Notable Highlights of Unknown Number
- The Shocking Revelation/Twist: The documentary’s main strength is its unbelievable twist. The investigation eventually leads police and the FBI to the IP address, revealing the perpetrator to be Kendra Licari, Lauryn’s own mother. This unexpected betrayal is the emotional core of the film, transforming a high-school catfishing story into a profound and disturbing case of Munchausen syndrome by proxy in the digital age.
- Expert Opinions, Investigations, and Interviews: The film features interviews with the victims, their parents (including the perpetrator, Kendra, who maintains a complex and questionable defence of her actions), high-school officials, the Isabella County Sheriff, and the FBI Liaison. These direct accounts provide layered perspectives on the impact of the crime.
- Case Studies or Events That Stand Out: The documentary includes recordings of the actual, highly explicit, and increasingly aggressive text messages, along with police bodycam footage of the perpetrator’s arrest, lending a raw and immediate authenticity to the horrifying events. The exploration of possible motives, including the suggestion of an inappropriate fixation on Owen, adds uncomfortable psychological depth.
Viewer Reception of Unknown Number
- Critical Reviews: The documentary has generated significant buzz. While not all critics were comfortable with the film’s approach to the subject matter—some feeling it ventured too close to exploitation—many acknowledged its thrilling nature. Decider recommended streaming it, praising its ability to make the viewer “try and unravel” the mystery. The Guardian called it a “remarkable and chilling cautionary tale of the digital age.”
- Audience Reactions and Social Media Buzz: The shocking nature of the central twist ensured the film quickly climbed into Netflix’s Top 10 films globally. Social media was abuzz with disbelief, commentary on the psychological aspects, and debate over the perpetrator’s motivation, solidifying its place as a quintessential water-cooler true-crime hit.
- Why True Crime and Mystery Fans are Drawn to It: The film taps into a universal, modern-day anxiety (digital vulnerability) and pairs it with the most dramatic form of personal betrayal. The psychological complexity of a mother terrorizing her own child for attention is a narrative hook that true crime fans, who are often interested in the darkest aspects of human psychology, find irresistible.
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Similar Documentaries to Unknown Number
If Unknown Number: The High School Catfish left you looking over your shoulder and checking your phone settings, here are a few other Netflix docs with related themes that explore digital danger and high-stakes mysteries:
- Web of Make Believe: Death, Lies and the Internet: An anthology series that explores various forms of online deception, fraud, and harassment.
- Don’t Fk With Cats: Hunting An Internet Killer:** A horrifying story where online sleuths track down a killer whose crimes were posted on the internet. It highlights the power and peril of digital collective justice.
- The Social Dilemma: While not a true crime, this documentary offers a chilling look at how social media platforms are designed to manipulate our behaviour, offering a crucial context for the psychological warfare seen in Unknown Number.
Where to Watch Unknown Number
Unknown Number: The High School Catfish is an exclusive Netflix original documentary.
- Availability: It is available to stream globally on Netflix.
- Subtitles, Languages, and Streaming Options: Standard Netflix features are available, including multiple language subtitles and audio options, allowing viewers worldwide to engage with the shocking details of the case.
Conclusion on Unknown Number
Unknown Number: The High School Catfish is more than just a cautionary tale about who to trust on the internet; it’s a terrifying story about who to trust at home. It’s a chilling reminder that in the hyper-connected world, the most dangerous threats often come from the people you least suspect.
If you’re ready for a documentary that promises a fast-paced investigation, raw emotional interviews, and an ending that will redefine the word “shocking,” clear your schedule and add this one to your queue.
Just be sure to check the caller ID next time the phone rings—you might never look at an “Unknown Number” the same way again.