as in cheats
a dishonest person who uses clever means to cheat others out of something of value
Internet scammers who never seem to run out of swindles
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Recent Examples of scammers
This reduces the chances that scammers find your contact details and target you with fraud.
—
Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 3 Apr. 2026
Jolly got an inside look at how scammers conduct their business and recruit new marks to do their dirty work, posting hundreds or thousands of fake, often negative, reviews on hotel websites and others.
—Alan Henry, PC Magazine, 3 Apr. 2026
Everyone wants to hold accountable the scammers and unscrupulous businesses that break the law and take advantage of consumers, but there are good and bad ways to go about it.
—Adam Summers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
Tax season is nearing the end, but as Michigan residents continue to send in their state and federal taxes, scammers are on the hunt to steal their refunds.
—Sarah Moore, Freep.com, 30 Mar. 2026
Limiting what appears on data broker websites can reduce the details scammers use to personalize attacks.
—Roxanne Downer, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2026
With Gmail attacks ongoing, as well as warnings being issued as Google users are impacted by new security threats, users of Android smartphones are increasingly in the crosshairs of hackers and scammers alike.
—Davey Winder, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2024
Chinese nationals were killed in a shootout at one compound used by scammers on the border with Myanmar, Chinese and Myanmar state media reported.
—Hannah Beech, New York Times, 31 Dec. 2024
The Federal Trade Commission's Office of the Inspector General details that scammers often employ four common tactics to keep people on a call.
—Tamia Fowlkes, Journal Sentinel, 30 Dec. 2024
Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 3 Apr. 2026
Jolly got an inside look at how scammers conduct their business and recruit new marks to do their dirty work, posting hundreds or thousands of fake, often negative, reviews on hotel websites and others.
—Alan Henry, PC Magazine, 3 Apr. 2026
Everyone wants to hold accountable the scammers and unscrupulous businesses that break the law and take advantage of consumers, but there are good and bad ways to go about it.
—Adam Summers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
Tax season is nearing the end, but as Michigan residents continue to send in their state and federal taxes, scammers are on the hunt to steal their refunds.
—Sarah Moore, Freep.com, 30 Mar. 2026
Limiting what appears on data broker websites can reduce the details scammers use to personalize attacks.
—Roxanne Downer, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2026
With Gmail attacks ongoing, as well as warnings being issued as Google users are impacted by new security threats, users of Android smartphones are increasingly in the crosshairs of hackers and scammers alike.
—Davey Winder, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2024
Chinese nationals were killed in a shootout at one compound used by scammers on the border with Myanmar, Chinese and Myanmar state media reported.
—Hannah Beech, New York Times, 31 Dec. 2024
The Federal Trade Commission's Office of the Inspector General details that scammers often employ four common tactics to keep people on a call.
—Tamia Fowlkes, Journal Sentinel, 30 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scammers
Noun
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Iran lies, cheats, blusters and bullies.—
Chris Roemer,
Baltimore Sun,
5 Mar. 2026
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The world is full of bad actors—cheats, liars, tyrants, sickos—who are, ultimately, mere human beings; at least, this was how rationality would have it.—
Joshua Rothman,
New Yorker,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
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But my collection intentionally ignored the fraudulent exploits of billionaire heirs, tax dodgers and corporate magnates — defense contracts, government lobbying, bank accounts in Switzerland, shell companies in Panama, citizenship of Antigua and political asylum in London.—
Snigdha Poonam,
The Dial,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The plot follows a coastal town decimated by a Category 5 hurricane, where the resulting storm surge brings with it a terrifying influx of hungry sharks.—
Abid Rahman,
HollywoodReporter,
1 Apr. 2026
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Scientists analyzed serum samples of tiger sharks, blacktip sharks, Caribbean reef sharks, Atlantic nurse sharks and lemon sharks.—
Ashley J. DiMella,
FOXNews.com,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
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This scam, according to Kent, could be proliferated with the use of AI, which can allow swindlers to enroll in many different college programs at once.—
Peter D'Abrosca,
FOXNews.com,
21 Jan. 2026
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Good afternoon and welcome to Con Con, the convention for swindlers, mountebanks, and the people who love them.—
Henry Alford,
New Yorker,
1 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Scammers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scammers. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
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