They got taken by a scam artist.

他们被一个假冒的艺术家骗了。

《柯林斯英汉双解大词典》

How is that a scam?

这怎么可能是骗局？

youdao

If you don't know the company, it could be a scam.

如果你不知道这家公司的话，它很有可能就是个诈骗。

youdao

But one of the first things we saw was a warning about a "phishing scam."

VOA: special.2010.02.18

Forbes actually did a story when Aspen Exploration was first discovered to be a scam.

FORBES: Aspen Exploration Fraud - All In The Family

It claimed back VAT on bogus Europe-wide business transactions in a scam known as carousel fraud.

BBC: Lawyer and book keeper convicted of laundering ?1.8m

Our authorities were complicit in a scam, but only for the benefit of one single club.

FORBES: What Can We Learn From the Financial Meltdown of Glasgow Rangers FC?