ruby on rails - mongoid embedded document criteria not recognized -

here's models

 class scammer   include mongoid::document   field :email_used   field :phone_used   field :name_used   field :first_logged, type: datetime   field :last_scam_attempt, type: datetime   field :checked, type: integer, default: 0   field :scams_count, type: integer   field :common_commodity   field :status   embeds_many :reports   embeds_many :reporters   embeds_many :requestors end  class report     include mongoid::document   embedded_in :scammer     field :reported, type: datetime     field :posed_as     field :encountered_through     field :commodity     field :details     field :logged_by end   class reporter   include mongoid::document   embedded_in :scammer   field :reporter_ip   field :captured, type: datetime end   class requestor   include mongoid::document   embedded_in :scammer   field :requestor_ip   field :captured, type: datetime end  

and here's code i'm using try these models

      # it's email address,      if scammer.where(email_used: @search_term).exists?         if not scammer.requestors.where(requestor_ip: request.remote_ip).exists?         scammer.requestors.create(requestor_ip: request.remote_ip, captured: datetime.current()).save                         end                          @return = scammer.where(email_used: @search_term).to_json                     else                          # no entry found. should add database search                         @newscammer = scammer.new(email_used: @search_term, checked: 1, first_logged: datetime.current(), status: "seems legit")                         @newscammer.requestors.create(requestor_ip: request.remote_ip, captured: datetime.current())                         @newscammer.save                         @return = "{ 'message' : 'email added database' }"                     end   

everything works until line

scammer.requestors.where(requestor_ip: request.remote_ip).exists?

this lines causes error

undefined method `requestors' scammer:class

i've gone through mongoid.org , various other posts here , on other boards, , cannot find way access embedded requestor element off of scammers. new ruby , trying due diligence necessary fix issues myself, i'm stumped.

found answer--there nothing wrong models, it's code block in controller. apparently once return object using

where

lose ability search or use other functions such where, find , find_by.

i re-wrote code block such, , works

if scammer.where(email_used: search_term).exists? scammerrec = scammer.find_by(email_used: search_term)

      # though found parent object, still need use .where function pull parent again , check requestor_ip in requestors embedded doc       if not scammer.where(email_used: search_term, "requestors.requestor_ip" => request.remote_ip).exists?         scammerrec.requestors.create(:requestor_ip => request.remote_ip)       end        returnjson = scammer.where(email_used: search_term).to_json     else        # no entry found. should add database search       newscammer = scammer.new(email_used: search_term, checked: 1, first_logged: datetime.current(), status: "seems legit")       requestor = requestor.new       requestor.requestor_ip = request.remote_ip       scammer.collection.update(newscammer.selector, {'$push' => {requestors: requestor.as_document}}, multi: true)       newscammer.save       returnjson = "{ 'message' : 'email added database' }"     end