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 case is an egregious example of the ruthless persistence exhibited by scammers to enrich themselves at the expense of vulnerable people.
—
Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 13 Mar. 2026
The goal is to stop scammers from hijacking accounts through tricks like fake talent competitions or misleading QR codes.
—Alexei Oreskovic, Fortune, 12 Mar. 2026
The Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles is warning about a text scam where the scammers are impersonating the DMV, falsely claiming that recipients have unpaid tickets.
—Jennifer McRae, CBS News, 12 Mar. 2026
And while Lionel Messi dazzles crowds inside Arlington’s stadium, scammers will be working the crowd outside — selling fake tickets, bogus merchandise and empty promises.
—Dave Lieber
mar. 11, Dallas Morning News, 11 Mar. 2026
Earlier Wednesday, journalists were shown equipment confiscated in raids elsewhere, including uniforms and fake identification cards used by scammers to pose online as Japanese police officers to trick and intimidate victims.
—ABC News, 11 Mar. 2026
In fact, scammers often look for people going through emotional or financial change.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 8 Mar. 2026
California has paid roughly $20 billion in fraudulent unemployment benefits to scammers, about 11% of all benefits distributed since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, state officials said this week.
—Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026
Already, scammers use audio and video deepfakes to trick individuals into giving them money, passwords, or other data, and the next step is to move beyond individuals and on to businesses, where the potential payouts are much, much larger.
—Alan Henry, PC Magazine, 6 Mar. 2026
Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 13 Mar. 2026
The goal is to stop scammers from hijacking accounts through tricks like fake talent competitions or misleading QR codes.
—Alexei Oreskovic, Fortune, 12 Mar. 2026
The Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles is warning about a text scam where the scammers are impersonating the DMV, falsely claiming that recipients have unpaid tickets.
—Jennifer McRae, CBS News, 12 Mar. 2026
And while Lionel Messi dazzles crowds inside Arlington’s stadium, scammers will be working the crowd outside — selling fake tickets, bogus merchandise and empty promises.
—Dave Lieber
mar. 11, Dallas Morning News, 11 Mar. 2026
Earlier Wednesday, journalists were shown equipment confiscated in raids elsewhere, including uniforms and fake identification cards used by scammers to pose online as Japanese police officers to trick and intimidate victims.
—ABC News, 11 Mar. 2026
In fact, scammers often look for people going through emotional or financial change.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 8 Mar. 2026
California has paid roughly $20 billion in fraudulent unemployment benefits to scammers, about 11% of all benefits distributed since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, state officials said this week.
—Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026
Already, scammers use audio and video deepfakes to trick individuals into giving them money, passwords, or other data, and the next step is to move beyond individuals and on to businesses, where the potential payouts are much, much larger.
—Alan Henry, PC Magazine, 6 Mar. 2026
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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There do not seem to be sharks circling.—
Xuan Juliana Wang,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Mar. 2026
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Ostriches, for example, are highly resistant to viruses, while sharks rarely develop cancer.—
Mallory Locklear,
Hartford Courant,
7 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 18 Mar. 2026.
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