The documentary Super Scam Me shifts attention from romance-scam victims to the people behind the fraud. Investigative journalist Mariana van Zeller creates a digital persona to lure a persistent scammer, then works with a white-hat hacker to trace his digital footprint and confront him.
The film features Leslie, who was deceived into believing she had been in a relationship with musician Jon Bon Jovi for nearly a year. She lost a lot of money and almost lost her home, according to van Zeller.
The documentary’s makers estimate that one in seven American adults have lost money to romance scams. The source article also says scammers stole more than $1 billion from American victims in 2025. Van Zeller said scammers use scripts, work in teams, and exploit emotions such as hope, fear, and love. She argued that efforts to address the fraud should involve governments, technology companies, and banks, as well as individuals.
Van Zeller said Leslie now reports fake profiles to Facebook and Instagram. Leslie estimates that only three or four out of every 10 profiles she reports are removed, while the others can remain online for months.
Super Scam Me premieres in the US on October 17, airing on National Geographic at 9pm EDT and streaming on Disney+ and Hulu. In the UK, it premieres on October 18 at 10pm on National Geographic and streams on Disney+ the same day.
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