Dark Tetrad Personalities And Scams, Fraud, and Cybercrime
The Dark Tetrad Personality Types and their Impact in Scams Fraud and Cybercrime
Primary Category: Psychology of Scams
Intended Audience: Scam Victims-Survivors / Family & Friends / General Public / Others
Authors:
• Vianey Gonzalez B.Sc(Psych) – Licensed Psychologist Specialty in Crime Victim Trauma Therapy, Neuropsychologist, Certified Deception Professional, Psychology Advisory Panel & Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.
• Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.
About This Article
The Dark Tetrad—comprising narcissism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and sadism—provides a framework for understanding the malicious behaviors driving some individuals engaged in scams, fraud, and cybercrime. These personality traits often underlie manipulative tactics designed to exploit, deceive, and harm victims.
While most scammers and cybercriminals operate dispassionately, treating their crimes as business ventures, Dark Tetrad personalities bring a distinct cruelty to their schemes, seeking not just financial gain but also emotional control, ego gratification, and, in some cases, sadistic pleasure from their victims’ suffering.
Their actions transform fraud into a calculated and often devastating attack on victims’ emotional and financial well-being. Understanding these traits equips law enforcement, cybersecurity professionals, and support organizations to better address the threats posed by such individuals and assist victims in recovering from the profound impact of these crimes.
The Dark Tetrad Personality Types and their Impact in Scams Fraud and Cybercrime
The Dark Tetrad—Narcissism, Machiavellianism, Psychopathy, and Sadism—offers a psychological framework for understanding the behaviors and motives of these personality types involved in scams, fraud, and cybercrime. These personality traits, when present, often underlie the tactics and motivations of scammers, hackers, and fraudsters.
SCARS Institute Statement
While the Dark Tetrad personalities—narcissists, Machiavellians, psychopaths, and sadists—are undoubtedly present in the world of scams and cybercrime, most online scammers fraudsters and cybercriminals do not fit these profiles.
Instead, they are ordinary individuals engaging in criminal behavior, often viewing scams as a dispassionate business rather than a personal vendetta or psychological game. For these individuals, fraud is an organized, albeit unethical and illegal, way to earn money, often devoid of the emotional manipulation or sadistic pleasure characteristic of Dark Tetrad traits. However, Dark Tetrad personalities do exist within this sphere, and they are most commonly found in face-to-face fraud schemes. These individuals are often driven by a need to dominate, manipulate, or derive gratification from their victims’ suffering, which makes their actions particularly malicious. While the majority of scammers approach their crimes with a cold, transactional mindset, the presence of those with Dark Tetrad traits in any form of fraud highlights the spectrum of motivations behind these crimes.
Even when carried out by otherwise “normal” individuals, scams inflict profound and lasting harm on their victims. These perpetrators may view their actions as merely a means to an end—financial gain—but their lack of regard for the emotional, financial, and psychological devastation they cause is still deeply troubling and evil. Victims of scams often experience intense trauma caused by the betrayal, humiliation, and despair, as well as significant financial losses that can take years to recover from, if ever. However, when scams are executed by individuals with Dark Tetrad personality types, the harm escalates to a level of deliberate cruelty. These perpetrators refine their deceit into an art form of true evil, intentionally exploiting and manipulating their victims for personal gratification, power, or sadistic pleasure. For them, the crime is not just about money—it is a psychological game where the suffering of their victims becomes part of the reward, turning their actions into something far more insidious than mere theft.
Dark Tetrad Personality Types – An Overview
The Dark Tetrad is an extension of the Dark Triad, which originally consisted of three personality traits: Narcissism, Machiavellianism, and Psychopathy. The Dark Tetrad adds a fourth trait, Sadism, to this group. Here’s a brief overview of each:
Narcissism:
Characteristics: Grandiosity, a need for admiration, a sense of entitlement, and a lack of empathy.
Behavior: Narcissists often seek attention, have an exaggerated sense of self-importance, and can be manipulative to maintain their self-image.
Machiavellianism:
Characteristics: Cunning, manipulation, and a focus on self-interest without concern for morality or ethics.
Behavior: Machiavellians are strategic in their interactions, often using manipulation or deceit to achieve their goals. They are pragmatic and use charm or intimidation as needed.
Psychopathy:
Characteristics: Lack of empathy, impulsivity, superficial charm, and a propensity for antisocial behavior.
Behavior: Psychopaths might engage in risky, criminal, or aggressive behavior without remorse. They can be charming on the surface but lack deeper emotional connections.
Sadism (added for the Tetrad):
Characteristics: Pleasure derived from inflicting pain, cruelty, or humiliation on others.
Behavior: Sadists might engage in behaviors that intentionally hurt or humiliate others, finding satisfaction or pleasure in the suffering of others. This can range from verbal cruelty to physical harm.
The Dark Tetrad traits are often studied in psychological research because individuals with these traits can have a significant impact on interpersonal relationships, organizational settings, and society at large.
Here are some key points about the Dark Tetrad:
Overlap and Interplay: These traits often overlap; someone with high psychopathy scores might also exhibit narcissistic tendencies. The combination of these traits can make individuals particularly manipulative or harmful.
Contextual Influence: The expression of these traits can vary by context. For instance, in some professional settings, traits like Machiavellianism might lead to success in terms of career advancement, though often at the expense of others’ well-being.
Measurement: Psychological tools like personality inventories can assess these traits, though individuals high in these traits might be adept at hiding them.
Impact on Society: Understanding these traits helps in areas like clinical psychology, forensic psychology, and organizational behavior, where recognizing and managing such personalities can prevent harm or mitigate negative outcomes.
Not All or Nothing: People might exhibit one or more of these traits to varying degrees rather than fitting neatly into one category.
Most psychologists say that having traits from the Dark Tetrad does not equate to having a personality disorder or being inherently “evil.” We disagree.
When these traits are present, they can lead to significant antisocial or harmful behaviors.
Dark Tetrad Personality Types and Scams, Fraud, and Cybercrime
The Dark Tetrad—Narcissism, Machiavellianism, Psychopathy, and Sadism—offers a psychological framework for understanding the behaviors and motives of individuals involved in scams, fraud, and cybercrime. These personality traits, when present, often underlie the tactics and motivations of scammers, hackers, and fraudsters.
The Dark Tetrad Types in These Crimes
Here’s how each trait relates to scams and cybercrime:
Narcissism
-
-
-
- Role in Scams: Narcissistic individuals often have an inflated sense of superiority and entitlement, which fuels their belief that they deserve the gains acquired through scams. Their lack of empathy allows them to disregard the emotional and financial harm inflicted on their victims.
- Tactics: They may adopt grandiose personas in romance scams or impersonation schemes, exploiting their charm and self-confidence to manipulate victims into trusting and admiring them.
-
-
Narcissistic individuals often believe they are superior to others and entitled to success or material wealth, regardless of how it is obtained. This sense of entitlement allows them to rationalize their fraudulent actions, viewing victims as unimportant or deserving of exploitation. A narcissist’s lack of empathy plays a critical role in their ability to commit scams, as they can detach themselves from the pain and loss they cause. In scams like romance fraud or social engineering, they often adopt grandiose personas, projecting confidence and charm to build trust and admiration. Victims are drawn in by their seemingly authentic personas, only to be betrayed once the scammer’s true intentions come to light. Narcissists thrive on the power and validation they derive from manipulating others, making them highly dangerous perpetrators in scams and fraud.
Machiavellianism
-
-
-
- Role in Scams: Those high in Machiavellianism are calculated, strategic, and manipulative, making them effective at designing complex frauds and schemes. They focus solely on achieving their goals, often using deceit and exploitation with no regard for morality.
- Tactics: Machiavellian scammers create elaborate schemes, such as phishing attacks or investment frauds, by exploiting trust and orchestrating long-term manipulations that maximize their financial gains.
-
-
Machiavellianism is characterized by cunning, strategic thinking, and manipulation, traits that make individuals adept at creating and executing scams. Unlike impulsive behaviors seen in psychopathy, Machiavellians take a calculated, long-term approach to deceit. They are methodical in exploiting vulnerabilities, using charm, patience, and manipulation to build trust over time. For example, in investment scams, Machiavellians might fabricate convincing financial schemes, complete with fake documents, false endorsements, and staged success stories, to lure victims into parting with their money. These individuals show no concern for the ethical implications of their actions, focusing entirely on personal gain. Their ability to play the long game makes their schemes particularly effective and difficult to detect, leading to devastating outcomes for victims.
Psychopathy
-
-
-
- Role in Scams: Psychopaths exhibit a lack of empathy, impulsivity, and a disregard for laws or societal norms, making them willing to engage in risky, unethical, or illegal activities without remorse.
- Tactics: Psychopathic individuals may engage in high-stakes fraud, ransomware attacks, or aggressive scams, using their superficial charm to gain trust while exploiting others without guilt.
-
-
Psychopathy brings a unique set of traits to scams and cybercrime, including a complete lack of remorse, impulsivity, and an absence of emotional connection to others. Psychopaths often use their superficial charm to gain the trust of victims, presenting themselves as trustworthy or helpful while hiding their true intentions. Unlike Machiavellians, who may take a calculated approach, psychopaths are more likely to engage in high-stakes fraud or aggressive scams, such as ransomware attacks or extortion schemes, with little concern for consequences. Their impulsivity can lead to risky behavior, including blatant disregard for legal repercussions. For scam victims, dealing with a psychopathic scammer often feels particularly cruel, as these individuals show no empathy for the harm they cause and may even take pride in their ability to manipulate and exploit others.
Sadism
-
-
-
- Role in Scams: Sadistic individuals derive pleasure from causing pain, humiliation, or distress, which can manifest in scams or cybercrime targeting victims in especially cruel or demeaning ways.
- Tactics: Sadistic scammers may focus on scams with a psychological toll, such as catfishing, sextortion, or revenge scams, finding satisfaction in their victim’s suffering. In cybercrime, they might intentionally create chaos or distress (e.g., releasing sensitive data or causing reputational harm).
-
-
Sadistic individuals, the fourth component of the Dark Tetrad, take pleasure in causing pain or suffering, making them especially cruel in scams and cybercrime. Unlike other perpetrators who may be motivated solely by financial gain, sadists derive gratification from the distress, humiliation, or harm they inflict on their victims. In cases like sextortion or catfishing, sadistic scammers intentionally manipulate victims into vulnerable situations and then exploit that vulnerability to maximize harm. For example, a sadist might leak sensitive photos or personal information not just for monetary gain but for the sheer satisfaction of causing emotional devastation. Sadism often manifests in verbal cruelty, calculated humiliation, or psychological torment, leaving victims deeply traumatized. This pleasure in others’ suffering makes sadistic scammers some of the most malicious and damaging individuals to encounter.
The Dark Tetrad in Cybercrime and Scams
-
-
- Synergistic Traits: Individuals with a combination of these traits are particularly dangerous. For instance, a scammer with high Machiavellianism might design a strategic fraud, while psychopathy and sadism drive their lack of remorse and enjoyment of the victim’s distress.
- Impact on Victims: Victims often suffer severe emotional, financial, and psychological harm due to the calculated and manipulative tactics of Dark Tetrad personalities. This harm can lead to long-term trauma, loss of trust, and even suicidal thoughts in extreme cases.
- Professional Exploitation: Many cybercriminals and scammers use their skills in technology or social engineering to amplify the reach and sophistication of their schemes, exploiting vulnerabilities in individuals and systems alike.
-
When traits from the Dark Tetrad combine, scammers and cybercriminals become even more dangerous. For instance, an individual with Machiavellian cunning may design a detailed and convincing scheme, while psychopathy and sadism enable them to execute it without remorse or concern for the victim’s suffering. Narcissism might drive the scammer to view their actions as justified or even admirable. These traits together create individuals who are not only skilled manipulators but also emotionally detached from the harm they cause, making them exceptionally effective at exploiting others. Victims of such perpetrators often experience long-term trauma, financial devastation, and a loss of trust that can take years to rebuild.
The Impact on Victims
The actions of individuals with Dark Tetrad traits have profound effects on victims. Financially, victims may lose their life savings or incur significant debt. Emotionally, they often face intense feelings of shame, guilt, and humiliation, compounded by the manipulative tactics used against them. Some victims may develop lasting trauma, including anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Socially, the loss of trust can impact their relationships and professional lives. In extreme cases, victims may even face suicidal ideation due to the compounded stress and despair caused by these scams. Understanding the psychological makeup of scammers helps explain their motivations and the calculated nature of their actions, which is critical for victim recovery and prevention efforts.
Why Understanding the Dark Tetrad Matters
-
-
- Prevention and Awareness: Recognizing these traits helps in identifying potential scammers, understanding their tactics, and developing strategies to protect victims.
- Support for Victims: Knowledge of these traits provides insight into the manipulative and abusive dynamics of scams, which can help victims make sense of their experience and recover emotionally.
- Improving Cybersecurity: Awareness of the psychological drivers behind scams and cybercrime informs better security protocols, training, and public awareness campaigns.
-
Awareness of the Dark Tetrad is essential for identifying, mitigating, and preventing scams, fraud, and cybercrime. Recognizing the traits of narcissism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and sadism helps law enforcement, cybersecurity professionals, and support organizations develop strategies to combat these crimes. For victims, understanding these personality traits can demystify their experience and reduce self-blame, reinforcing the reality that the scam was a deliberate and calculated attack. Furthermore, organizations can use this knowledge to design targeted prevention campaigns, educate the public about warning signs, and create recovery programs that address the psychological toll of being scammed. By understanding the motivations and methods of Dark Tetrad individuals, society can take proactive steps to protect vulnerable populations and hold perpetrators accountable.
The Types of Crimes Dark Tetrad Personality Types Engage in and Their Motivations
Individuals with Dark Tetrad personality traits—narcissism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and sadism—are uniquely drawn to crimes that align with their psychological profiles, often involving deception, manipulation, and exploitation. Here’s an exploration of the types of fraud and scams they typically engage in and what they gain from these actions:
Romance Scams and Emotional Manipulation
-
- Crime: These individuals exploit victims’ emotional vulnerabilities by posing as romantic partners or close confidants, gaining trust over time to extract money, gifts, or sensitive information.
- Motivations: Narcissists thrive on the attention and adoration victims shower upon them. Psychopaths enjoy the thrill of manipulating someone emotionally and financially, while sadists may derive satisfaction from the heartbreak and humiliation their victims experience.
Ponzi Schemes and Investment Fraud
-
- Crime: Fraudsters create complex financial schemes that promise high returns with little risk, often using charisma and deception to lure victims.
- Motivations: Machiavellians excel in orchestrating these schemes, as they are highly strategic and manipulative. Narcissists enjoy being seen as influential or successful figures, while psychopaths are indifferent to the ruin they bring to others’ lives.
Identity Theft and Cyber Fraud
-
- Crime: These crimes involve stealing personal information to commit financial fraud, such as unauthorized transactions or applying for loans in the victim’s name.
- Motivations: Psychopaths often dominate this space due to their lack of empathy and moral restraint, seeing victims as mere tools for personal gain. Machiavellians enjoy the strategic aspects of exploiting stolen information.
Pyramid Schemes and Multilevel Marketing Exploitation
-
- Crime: Perpetrators entice victims into “business opportunities” where profits come from recruiting others rather than selling products or services.
- Motivations: Narcissists often operate at the top of such schemes, basking in the admiration and dependence of their recruits. Machiavellians masterfully manipulate participants to perpetuate the scheme for their own gain.
Financial Elder Abuse
-
- Crime: This involves targeting elderly individuals through scams like fake prize winnings, fraudulent investments, or deceptive caregiving arrangements.
- Motivations: Sadists may relish the power imbalance and the pain inflicted on vulnerable victims, while Machiavellians focus on exploiting trust to maximize financial rewards.
Blackmail and Extortion
-
- Crime: These scams use threats, often involving private or compromising information, to coerce victims into paying money or providing services.
- Motivations: Psychopaths derive satisfaction from exerting control and seeing their victims suffer. Machiavellians enjoy the power dynamics and the strategic manipulation involved.
What They Gain
The motivations of Dark Tetrad individuals often extend beyond financial gain:
-
- Power and Control: Many of these personalities thrive on dominating their victims and wielding influence over them.
- Ego Gratification: Narcissists feed their inflated self-image through their ability to deceive and manipulate.
- Thrill-Seeking: Psychopaths often engage in scams for the adrenaline rush and the challenge of outsmarting others.
- Pleasure in Suffering: Sadists, in particular, enjoy witnessing or knowing that their victims are in pain or distress.
- Strategic Wins: Machiavellians relish the intellectual challenge of complex schemes, valuing their own cunning and success over the well-being of others.
These traits not only enable the Dark Tetrad personalities to commit such crimes but also make their actions particularly insidious. They transform fraud and scams from mere financial crimes into deliberate acts of psychological and emotional exploitation.
Summary
The Dark Tetrad provides a lens through which to view the manipulative, calculated, and often harmful behaviors of individuals engaged in scams, fraud, and cybercrime. By understanding these traits, law enforcement, cybersecurity professionals, and support organizations can better anticipate threats and assist victims in recovery.
Please Rate This Article
Please Leave Us Your Comment
Also, tell us of any topics we might have missed.
Leave a Reply
Thank you for your comment. You may receive an email to follow up. We never share your data with marketers.
Recent Reader Comments
on A Reflection on Christ’s Suffering and Radical Acceptance of the Worst Possible Outcome – 2025: “Very thoughtful, encouraging and supportive information for victims of financial fraud. We are not alone. We have a purpose greater…” Jan 25, 10:27
on A Reflection on Christ’s Suffering and Radical Acceptance of the Worst Possible Outcome – 2025: “I am a deeply religious person and this article resonated well with me. I appreciated the desire to not offend…” Jan 24, 16:57
on A Reflection on Christ’s Suffering and Radical Acceptance of the Worst Possible Outcome – 2025: “Thank you! As a believer I find that Jesus Christ indeed has suffered all the same human emotions that we…” Jan 22, 21:35
on A Reflection on Christ’s Suffering and Radical Acceptance of the Worst Possible Outcome – 2025: “The reference to the figure of Christ perfectly demonstrates that while suffering is an intrinsic part of human life, it…” Jan 22, 12:24
on A Reflection on Christ’s Suffering and Radical Acceptance of the Worst Possible Outcome – 2025: “This was a powerful article. In my healing journey, I’ve come to find that perspective and attitude makes all the…” Jan 22, 11:23
on A Reflection on Christ’s Suffering and Radical Acceptance of the Worst Possible Outcome – 2025: “As I reflected on this excellent article, a thought came to mind. Even though the story is about Christ, it…” Jan 22, 04:57
on Other Victims & Advocates Personality Dangers to Scam Victims – Including Main Character Syndrome – 2025: “Excelente artículo!!!” Jan 17, 10:36
on Other Victims & Advocates Personality Dangers to Scam Victims – Including Main Character Syndrome – 2025: “Thank you. It is all true.” Jan 17, 03:29
Did you find this article useful?
If you did, please help the SCARS Institute to continue helping Scam Victims to become Survivors.
Your gift helps us continue our work and help more scam victims to find the path to recovery!
You can give at donate.AgainstScams.org
Important Information for New Scam Victims
- Please visit www.ScamVictimsSupport.org – a SCARS Website for New Scam Victims & Sextortion Victims
- SCARS Institute now offers a free recovery program at www.SCARSeducation.org
- Please visit www.ScamPsychology.org – to more fully understand the psychological concepts involved in scams and scam victim recovery
If you are looking for local trauma counselors please visit counseling.AgainstScams.org or join SCARS for our counseling/therapy benefit: membership.AgainstScams.org
If you need to speak with someone now, you can dial 988 or find phone numbers for crisis hotlines all around the world here: www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines
A Question of Trust
At the SCARS Institute, we invite you to do your own research on the topics we speak about and publish, Our team investigates the subject being discussed, especially when it comes to understanding the scam victims-survivors experience. You can do Google searches but in many cases, you will have to wade through scientific papers and studies. However, remember that biases and perspectives matter and influence the outcome. Regardless, we encourage you to explore these topics as thoroughly as you can for your own awareness.
Statement About Victim Blaming
Some of our articles discuss various aspects of victims. This is both about better understanding victims (the science of victimology) and their behaviors and psychology. This helps us to educate victims/survivors about why these crimes happened and to not blame themselves, better develop recovery programs, and to help victims avoid scams in the future. At times this may sound like blaming the victim, but it does not blame scam victims, we are simply explaining the hows and whys of the experience victims have.
These articles, about the Psychology of Scams or Victim Psychology – meaning that all humans have psychological or cognitive characteristics in common that can either be exploited or work against us – help us all to understand the unique challenges victims face before, during, and after scams, fraud, or cybercrimes. These sometimes talk about some of the vulnerabilities the scammers exploit. Victims rarely have control of them or are even aware of them, until something like a scam happens and then they can learn how their mind works and how to overcome these mechanisms.
Articles like these help victims and others understand these processes and how to help prevent them from being exploited again or to help them recover more easily by understanding their post-scam behaviors. Learn more about the Psychology of Scams at www.ScamPsychology.org
SCARS Resources:
- Getting Started: ScamVictimsSupport.org
- FREE enrollment in the SCARS Institute training programs for scam victims SCARSeducation.org
- For New Victims of Relationship Scams newvictim.AgainstScams.org
- Subscribe to SCARS Newsletter newsletter.againstscams.org
- Sign up for SCARS professional support & recovery groups, visit support.AgainstScams.org
- Find competent trauma counselors or therapists, visit counseling.AgainstScams.org
- Become a SCARS Member and get free counseling benefits, visit membership.AgainstScams.org
- Report each and every crime, learn how to at reporting.AgainstScams.org
- Learn more about Scams & Scammers at RomanceScamsNOW.com and ScamsNOW.com
- Learn more about the Psychology of Scams and Scam Victims: ScamPsychology.org
- Self-Help Books for Scam Victims are at shop.AgainstScams.org
- Worldwide Crisis Hotlines: International Suicide Hotlines – OpenCounseling : OpenCounseling
- Campaign To End Scam Victim Blaming – 2024 (scamsnow.com)
Psychology Disclaimer:
All articles about psychology and the human brain on this website are for information & education only
The information provided in this and other SCARS articles are intended for educational and self-help purposes only and should not be construed as a substitute for professional therapy or counseling.
Note about Mindfulness: Mindfulness practices have the potential to create psychological distress for some individuals. Please consult a mental health professional or experienced meditation instructor for guidance should you encounter difficulties.
While any self-help techniques outlined herein may be beneficial for scam victims seeking to recover from their experience and move towards recovery, it is important to consult with a qualified mental health professional before initiating any course of action. Each individual’s experience and needs are unique, and what works for one person may not be suitable for another.
Additionally, any approach may not be appropriate for individuals with certain pre-existing mental health conditions or trauma histories. It is advisable to seek guidance from a licensed therapist or counselor who can provide personalized support, guidance, and treatment tailored to your specific needs.
If you are experiencing significant distress or emotional difficulties related to a scam or other traumatic event, please consult your doctor or mental health provider for appropriate care and support.
Also read our SCARS Institute Statement about Professional Care for Scam Victims – click here
If you are in crisis, feeling desperate, or in despair please call 988 or your local crisis hotline.
-/ 30 /-
What do you think about this?
Please share your thoughts in a comment below!
Oltre alla popolazione andrebbero spiegate anche alle forze dell’ordine queste considerazioni. In tal modo se la vittima va a denunciare la polizia può avere più comprensione nel loro riguardo, senza che si sentano giudicate come a volte capita. Suggerisco un corso per le forze dell’ordine, non solo Americane ma a livello mondiale.