The Scammer

The Scammer (2025) by Tiffany D. Jackson is a young adult (YA) thriller novel. Set at Frazier University, a prestigious historically Black college in Washington, DC, it follows freshman student Jordyn Monroe, who decides to attend after her brother’s death. She immediately bonds with her three roommates, Vanessa, Kammy, and Loren, but when Vanessa’s older brother moves into the dorm, his charm, strong opinions about Black culture, and attempts to control their lives unsettle Jordyn. Jordyn grapples with her search for belonging and Devonte’s increasing control of her friends while befriending Nick, the only white student at the school. Through Jordyn’s journey, the novel explores themes of The Struggle Between Belonging and Autonomy, The Lasting Effects of Grief, and The Impact of Culture and Community on Identity Formation.

This guide uses the Kindle edition of the novel.

Content Warning: The source material and guide feature depictions of bullying, racism, gender discrimination, disordered eating, death by suicide, substance use, graphic violence, sexual content, cursing, death, physical abuse, child sexual abuse, and emotional abuse.

Plot Summary

Jordyn Monroe arrives in Washington, DC, to begin her first year at Frazier University. Coming from a predominantly white school, she is excited to experience a newfound sense of belonging at a historically black university (HBCU). She moves into a dorm suite with three roommates, Vanessa, Loren, and Kammy, who immediately welcome her into campus social life. While unpacking, Jordyn reflects on her strained relationship with her parents and the recent death of her brother, Kevin. She tells her roommates she is an only child, determined to have a fresh start.

At a fraternity party, Jordyn meets Kareen, Vanessa’s boyfriend, and Nick, a white fraternity member. When Nick jokingly comments on Jordyn’s appearance, she angrily confronts him about his presence at an HBCU, accusing him of taking space from Black students. Though embarrassed afterward, Jordyn is encouraged by her roommates, who praise her for speaking up. Over the next few weeks, Jordyn grows closer to her roommates, enjoying campus life and the sense of community.

One evening, Loren collapses due to low blood sugar, revealing that she has diabetes. When the girls get back to their dorm room, they find Vanessa’s brother, Devonte, sitting in their living room. Recently released from prison, Devonte quickly charms the group with stories about the music industry, his herbal remedies, and his confidence. He uses herbs to help Loren recover and begins cooking meals for the girls. He stays in the suite longer than expected, and although Jordyn feels uneasy, she does not object due to her desire to belong.

Throughout the city, protests intensify over the death of an unarmed Black man at the hands of the police. Devonte appears at key moments, like when Jordyn has to walk home late at night or when the girls are caught between police and protesters after leaving a bar. He helps them escape, increasing their trust in him. Devonte begins holding informal sessions in the dorm, speaking critically about institutions like fraternities, Christianity, and the criminal justice system. He discourages partying and frames pleasure as irresponsible, given racial injustice. Jordyn notices that his claims often blend truth with exaggeration or misinformation, but she remains quiet.

Jordyn becomes involved with the Frazier University Student Association (FUSA), where she reconnects with Nick, who is the president of the Arts and Sciences wing of FUSA. As Jordyn spends more time outside the suite, Devonte begins questioning her choices and ambitions. He reads her personal writing and insists that she abandon law school plans to write his life story instead. Though disturbed, Jordyn is flattered by his attention.

Before homecoming, Devonte persuades the girls to skip a party and instead drink a tea he prepares, which he claims will help them see the world more clearly. Jordyn experiences vivid hallucinations involving her brother and wakes to Devonte yelling at her, accusing her parents of abuse and urging her to release her anger. Afterward, Jordyn feels physically weakened but emotionally lighter.

Devonte’s control intensifies as his group of followers grows. He regulates the girls’ eating, sleep, exercise, and relationships. Kammy breaks up with her boyfriend and becomes increasingly devoted to Devonte. Loren stops managing her diabetes properly, trusting Devante’s assurance that her condition can be cured through diet. Jordyn grows increasingly isolated and conflicted.

At an off-campus party, Jordyn finds Nick unconscious and protects him from being assaulted, taking him back to her dorm to sleep. Later, Devonte accuses her of sleeping with Nick and interrogates her, convincing her that she cannot trust him. As punishment, Devonte imposes an 8:00 pm curfew. He publicly humiliates Loren when she misses curfew, insisting that Kareem scrub lipstick off her face while she cries.

Nick later tells Jordyn that he believes he was drugged, as Jordyn remembers that Devonte held her drink that night. Jordyn discourages him from going to the police. As she continues to remain conflicted about Devonte, she is adamant that she needs the friendship and sense of belonging the girls offer.

As Devonte attracts dozens of students to the suite, he continues to impact more of their lives. He forces the girls to throw away most of their belongings, declares them vegan, and demands financial contributions for a planned sanctuary in Virginia called “Emancipation.” He pressures Jordyn into opening credit cards in her own name and withdrawing money.

As Jordyn’s academic performance declines, Nick becomes increasingly concerned. After a violent confrontation in the dorm, where the other girls assault Jordyn at Devonte’s direction, Nick and his fraternity members intervene and remove her. Jordyn stays at the fraternity house with Nick, who allows her to remain temporarily while she figures out her next steps.

Over the next several days, Jordyn grows closer to Nick while separating herself from Devonte and the girls. However, her parents arrive one day, after Vanessa calls them. They reprimand her for not staying in the dorm and force her to go back, while Jordyn still refuses to tell anyone about Devonte’s actions. Jordyn begins staying in her room again while Devonte, her friends, and Devonte’s other followers largely ignore her.

Over Thanksgiving, Nick takes Jordyn to North Carolina, where she meets Anita, the Black woman who raised him, and her extended family. Jordyn learns that Nick witnessed the murder of a former girlfriend, Ashley, which explains his emotional distance. Though they grow closer and even kiss, Nick ultimately admits he is not yet ready to pursue a relationship.

Upon returning to campus, Jordyn discovers Kammy has gone missing. Kammy’s sister, Nina, confronts Jordyn and Loren and threatens to involve the police. When police investigate the dorm, they discover Kammy’s clothing and belongings in Jordyn’s room. They question Jordyn, believing she is responsible for Kammy’s death. However, Jordyn repeatedly insists she knows nothing while refusing to mention Devonte. She is confused about her conflicting feelings of danger and desire to be liked by Devonte and the others. In the end, she anonymously reports Devonte to his parole officer and discovers Devonte was previously investigated in the death of a college student.

Despite Jordyn’s attempts to warn Vanessa and Loren, they remain loyal to Devonte. As tensions escalate, Jordyn is assaulted by multiple girls in a campus bathroom. She is hospitalized, but with her parents' help, the attackers are arrested. After her release, Jordyn returns to her dorm, where Loren continues to defend Devonte.

Jordyn decides she has no choice but to work with the police. Wearing a wire, she convinces Devonte to speak with her alone. He confesses his love for her, adamant that he needs her to start a family with him in Emancipation. Devonte is arrested for the credit cards in Jordyn’s name, but he gets out on bail and then flees the state.

As Jordyn packs up her belongings to leave Frazier, she receives a call from a police detective. He warns her that Devonte was not the one who was behind the fraud schemes he was in prison for; his girlfriend, Vanessa, was responsible. As Vanessa returns home, she invites Jordyn to share tea with her and talk. Knowing that Vanessa will give her Devonte’s hallucinogenic tea, Jordyn switches their cups. As Vanessa passes out, Jordyn explains that she knows who Vanessa is: her brother’s girlfriend before he died by suicide.

Jordyn reveals to the reader that she knew who Vanessa was all along. After her brother died, she discovered a picture of them together and then found information on his computer about Emancipation. After Kevin was scammed by Vanessa and Devonte, he died by suicide. Jordyn devised a plan to get revenge and came to Frazier specifically to get close to Vanessa. Although she regrets what happened to Kammy and how it impacted Loren, Jordyn is adamant that it was worth it to get revenge on Vanessa.

After final exams, Jordyn walks through campus with Nick. They have continued their relationship, and Jordyn convinced her parents to support her decision to stay at Frazier. Despite everything she has been through, she is adamant that Frazier is the school for her, and Kevin would have belonged here, too.