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‘Carrie Jade Williams’ appears on TikTok posing as a terminally ill woman and disability activist, winning the sympathy and support of thousands. Her emotional videos, heart-wrenching updates and pleas for understanding strike a chord across the platform. But as one of her posts goes viral, some followers suspect something doesn’t add up. Before long, they discover that ‘Carrie Jade Williams’ is a persona. Driven by curiosity, compassion and a keen eye for detail, they begin to dig. What they uncover is a story more disturbing than they could have imagined.

The woman’s real name is Samantha Cookes, a serial con artist with multiple aliases and a troubling history. Through online sleuthing, they connect with victims of Samantha’s fraudulent identities and scams across the UK and Ireland – people who trusted her, welcomed her into their homes, and never doubted her claims.

Speaking for the first time, Lucy and Luke in North Yorkshire describe how she posed as a surrogate mother, defrauding them of their savings. Mother-of-three Layla describes how she believed she was hiring a Mary Poppins-like au pair at their home in County Offaly. Under the alias ‘Lucy Hart’, she offered a desperately needed childcare solution at a time of financial strain. When Layla eventually got suspicious, ‘Lucy’ disappeared, leaving behind an ominous note that left Layla fearing for her children. As the TikTokers piece together Samantha’s true identity, they uncover a deeply complex and tragic past.