Investigative journalist Mariana van Zeller takes on the world of romance scams in her new documentary, Super Scam Me, premiering on National Geographic and available on Disney+ and Hulu. With the help of an ethical hacker, van Zeller uses a fake Bitcoin receipt to bait a fraudster who initially posed as legendary singer Jon Bon Jovi, only to later take on the guise of a four-star military general named ‘Mark Turner’. The documentary explores the tactics of these scams, which cost Americans almost $1.5 billion annually and are increasingly sophisticated, thanks to advances in AI, according to Experian.

Often targeting vulnerable women who lack community support, such as widows or divorcées, these scams have become a leading form of financial fraud in the US, the FTC warns. Van Zeller’s social experiment, posing as a middle-age antiques dealer named ‘Mary Zelle’, highlights the effectiveness of these schemes in squeezing funds from targeted individuals.

In a bid to confront his victim, van Zeller devised a plan to meet the scammer face to face by distributing flyers in the scammer’s neighbourhood, showcasing a ‘love story’ that the scammer had fabricated. Through this, she aimed to provide closure to the victim and shine a light on the reality of online romance scams.

Super Scam Me offers a unique insight into the modus operandi of romance scammers and the devastating impact these frauds can have on the lives of their victims. It is a stark reminder of the dangers of believing online love connections, especially when they start asking for large sums of money.