---
title: scammer — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «scammer» in the school dictionary: A scammer is a person who tricks people to steal their money or personal details. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# scammer

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** scammer, person, Scammers, websites, message, I · **What happens:** be, trick, steal, use, sound, pretend · **To what, where:** person, people, money, fake messages, bank, message · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«scammer» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 7 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [scammer in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/scammer.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A scammer is a person who tricks people to steal their money or personal details.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scammer:m1:1
# text = A scammer is a person who tricks people to steal their money or personal details.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	scammer	scammer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	7	nsubj	_	_
7	tricks	trick	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
8	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	steal	steal	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	advcl	_	_
11	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	12	nmod:poss	_	_
12	money	money	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	_
13	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
14	personal	personal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
15	details	detail	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a scammer | a person |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **trick** | present | a person | people |  |  |  |  | vn trick-59.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent people=Patient |
| 3 | **steal** | to-infinitive | a person *not said here* | people's money or personal details |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location money=Theme |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Scammers often use fake messages, phone calls, websites or prizes that sound too good to be true.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scammer:m2:1
# text = Scammers often use fake messages, phone calls, websites or prizes that sound too good to be true.
1	Scammers	scammer	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	often	often	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
3	use	use	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	fake	fake	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	messages	message	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
7	phone	phone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	calls	call	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
10	websites	website	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	conj	_	_
11	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
12	prizes	prize	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	conj	_	_
13	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	14	nsubj	_	_
14	sound	sound	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	acl:relcl	_	_
15	too	too	ADV	RB	_	16	advmod	_	_
16	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	xcomp	_	_
17	to	to	PART	TO	_	19	mark	_	_
18	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	19	cop	_	_
19	true	true	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | present | Scammers | fake messages and phone calls and websites or prizes |  |  |  | often *property* | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent message=Patient |
| 2 | **sound** | present | websites or prizes |  |  |  |  | good *property* | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Stimulus |
| 3 | **is** | to-infinitive | websites or prizes *not said here* |  |  |  |  | true *property* | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The scammer pretended to be from the bank.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scammer:x1:1
# text = The scammer pretended to be from the bank.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	scammer	scammer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	pretended	pretend	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
5	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	cop	_	_
6	from	from	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	bank	bank	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **pretend** | past | the scammer |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | to-infinitive | the scammer *not said here* |  |  | the bank |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A scammer sent a message saying I had won a phone.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scammer:x2:1
# text = A scammer sent a message saying I had won a phone.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	scammer	scammer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	sent	send	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	message	message	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	saying	say	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	5	acl	_	_
7	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
8	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
9	won	win	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	6	ccomp	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	phone	phone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **send** | past | a scammer | a message |  |  |  |  | vn confine-92-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent message=Theme |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | gerund | a message *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **win** | past · perfect | I | a phone |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent phone=Eventuality |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Never give your password to anyone, because they could be a scammer.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scammer:x3:1
# text = Never give your password to anyone, because they could be a scammer.
1	Never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	2	advmod	_	_
2	give	give	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	4	nmod:poss	_	_
4	password	password	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	to	to	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	anyone	anyone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
8	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	13	mark	_	_
9	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	_
10	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	13	aux	_	_
11	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	13	cop	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	scammer	scammer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **give** | imperative | you *not said here* | your password | anyone |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP PP.recipient»: agent=Agent password=Theme to anyone=Recipient |
| 2 | **is a** | could | they | a scammer |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Grandpa almost paid a scammer, but he checked with us first.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scammer:x4:1
# text = Grandpa almost paid a scammer, but he checked with us first.
1	Grandpa	Grandpa	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
2	almost	almost	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
3	paid	pay	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	scammer	scammer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
7	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
8	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	checked	check	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
10	with	with	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	9	obl	_	_
12	first	first	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	9	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **pay** | past | Grandpa | a scammer |  |  |  | almost *property* | vn pay-68-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent scammer=Asset |
| 2 | **check** | past | Grandpa |  |  |  |  | with us; first *property* | vn assessment-34.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Scammers often try to make you hurry.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scammer:x5:1
# text = Scammers often try to make you hurry.
1	Scammers	scammer	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	often	often	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
3	try	try	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	5	obj	_	_
7	hurry	hurry	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **try** | present | Scammers |  |  |  |  | often *property* | vn try-61.1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality |
| 2 | **make** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | Scammers *not said here* | you |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **hurry** *not said to happen* | infinitive | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We reported the scammer to the website.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scammer:x6:1
# text = We reported the scammer to the website.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	reported	report	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	scammer	scammer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	to	to	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	website	website	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **report** | past | We | the scammer | the website |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP PP.recipient»: agent=Agent scammer=Topic to website=Recipient |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
If it sounds too good to be true, it may be a scammer.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scammer:x7:1
# text = If it sounds too good to be true, it may be a scammer.
1	If	if	SCONJ	IN	_	3	mark	_	_
2	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	sounds	sound	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	14	advcl	_	_
4	too	too	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	xcomp	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
7	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	cop	_	_
8	true	true	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
10	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	nsubj	_	_
11	may	may	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	14	aux	_	_
12	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	14	cop	_	_
13	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	scammer	scammer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	14	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sound** *a condition, not said to happen* | present | it |  |  |  |  | good *property* | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Stimulus |
| 2 | **is** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | true *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **is a** | may | it | a scammer |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

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