Nurses May Be Uniquely Targeted by Scammers Because of Their Profession

Nurses, by the very nature of their profession and the core personality traits that draw them to it, can unfortunately find themselves uniquely vulnerable to relationship scams.

It is important to state unequivocally that this is not their fault; the blame lies solely with the criminal orchestrating the deception. Nor does it imply they are “willingly compliant.” Rather, the very characteristics that make them exceptional caregivers, empathy, a desire to fix problems, and a conditioned acceptance of presented narratives, can be systematically exploited by skilled manipulators, turning their greatest strengths into profound vulnerabilities.

The foundational element of nursing is a profound and active empathy. Nurses are trained to see the person in front of them, to listen to their story, and to understand their pain. This is not a passive trait but a professional imperative, a skill sharpened by countless interactions with individuals in their most vulnerable moments.

A scammer, playing the role of a person in crisis, a soldier with desperate needs, a single father with a sick child, or a businessman facing ruin, presents a perfect storm of need that resonates deeply with a nurse’s core identity. For a nurse, the instinct to help is not just a personality quirk; it is a reflex honed by years of clinical practice. They are wired to assess a situation and immediately pivot to “How can I help?” This powerful drive to alleviate suffering can easily override the subtle internal alarms (boundaries) that might otherwise signal suspicion, as their focus is locked onto the “patient” and their immediate, fabricated distress.

The nursing profession tends to condition practitioners to accept the information presented to them at face value, at least initially. When a patient describes their symptoms, a nurse’s role is not to immediately assume they are lying or exaggerating; when a doctor tells them what the diagnosis is, they accept it. They take the history, they document the complaints, and they treat the reported pain as real until proven otherwise. This default-to-believe mode is essential for effective healthcare and building trust, but it becomes a significant vulnerability in the personal sphere. A scammer’s elaborate story, complete with photos, details, and emotional pleas, is treated by a nurse’s brain like a patient’s chart: a set of data points to be addressed. The idea that the entire narrative is a fabrication is a cognitive leap that their professional mindset is not typically trained to make, especially when the “patient” is expressing such a compelling need for their specific brand of care. They are trained to look for physiological signs of deception, not for the emotional manipulation of a sociopath behind a screen.

Of course, this is compounded by the fact that the “patient” is also a friend or romantic interest.

Perhaps most critically, nurses are professional fixers. Their entire day is a series of problems to be solved and wounds to be mended, often under immense pressure. They are action-oriented individuals who find purpose and satisfaction in creating order out of chaos and bringing relief from distress. When a scammer(s) presents a problem, “I can’t pay my medical bills,” “I need to get home to my child,” “My equipment has broken down”, the nurse’s problem-solving brain kicks into high gear. The scammer is not just asking for money; they are presenting a puzzle that the nurse feels uniquely equipped to solve, even if it involves their own money. This creates a powerful sense of purpose and control in a situation that is, in reality, entirely out of their control. By “fixing” the scammer’s problem, the nurse is fulfilling their deepest professional and personal calling.

This dynamic is profoundly manipulative, as it makes the victim an active (though unknowing) participant in their own victimization, not out of foolishness, stupidity, or carelessness, but out of a profound and commendable desire to heal and help. In the end, the scammer is not just stealing money; they are hijacking the very essence of what it means to be a nurse, exploiting the caregiver’s innate compassion as the primary tool for their own greed.

Prof. Tim McGuinness, Ph.D.
January 2026