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
Now with the advent of AI and the use of deepfake technology and voice cloning technology, scammers have upped the stakes.
—
Steve Weisman, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Kurt's key takeaway Instead of relying on faceless phishing emails, scammers are now using hyper-personalized and emotionally charged phone calls.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Money sent to scammers through crypto ATMs is nearly impossible to recover.
—Susan Tompor, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2025
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
Today’s online predators are sneaky, and scammers know exactly how to win a child’s trust.
—Kim Komando, Fox News, 27 Dec. 2024
Brushing is another type of fraud scammers may use during the holiday season.
—Marley Malenfant, USA TODAY, 26 Dec. 2024
Steve Weisman, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Kurt's key takeaway Instead of relying on faceless phishing emails, scammers are now using hyper-personalized and emotionally charged phone calls.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Money sent to scammers through crypto ATMs is nearly impossible to recover.
—Susan Tompor, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2025
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
Today’s online predators are sneaky, and scammers know exactly how to win a child’s trust.
—Kim Komando, Fox News, 27 Dec. 2024
Brushing is another type of fraud scammers may use during the holiday season.
—Marley Malenfant, USA TODAY, 26 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scammers
Noun
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With a mission to rebuild abundant and biodiverse oceans, Oceana fights to stop overfishing, habitat destruction, oil and plastic pollution, as well as the killing of threatened species like turtles, whales, and sharks, among other causes.—
Angelique Jackson,
Variety,
3 Sep. 2025
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Activities like spearfishing can attract sharks and increase the odds of unprovoked attacks.—
David Goodhue,
Miami Herald,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Meanwhile, posing as the original customer, the swindlers cancelled the order to get a refund.—
Thomas Brewster,
Forbes.com,
27 Aug. 2025
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Some swindlers thumb their nose at both and keep their cons going.—
Mike Hendricks,
Kansas City Star,
14 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The fraudsters were able to trick comptroller office staff into changing the account that received the funds.—
David Clarey,
jsonline.com,
3 Sep. 2025
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West African fraudsters also represent their work as a kind of redress for historical injustice.—
Christine Ro,
Forbes.com,
31 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Scammers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scammers. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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