bogus
Fake through and through
Bogus means fake, counterfeit, or not genuine.
Originally applied to counterfeit money, it now describes anything fraudulent or without merit: a bogus insurance claim, bogus credentials.
In casual speech, bogus can simply mean bad or disappointing: That's totally bogus.
Fraudulent imitation
- shamFraudulent imitation
- phonyFraudulent person or thing
- forgeryCreating fraudulent imitations
- imitationCopy of the original
pseudo · fictitious · fabricated · simulated · ersatz · mock · pretend · replica
Dishonest money-making scheme
- hoaxDeliberate deception for effect
- swindleDeception for financial gain
- charlatanFaker claiming false expertise
- impostorOne feigning another's identity
cheat · quackery · flimflam · con · grift · racket · hustle · mountebank
Deceptive outward appearance
- guiseExternal manner shown
- charadeAbsurd or obvious pretense
- masqueradeDeceptive act or costume party
- feignedFalsely displayed or simulated
veneer · act · front · pose · affectation · pretend · playacting · sham
Lacking factual support
- unsubstantiatedWithout supporting evidence
- groundlessLacking factual support
- unsupportedLacking backing or proof
- unwarrantedWithout adequate justification
unjustified · specious · fallacious · erroneous · invalid · false · untrue · fabricated
Causing false beliefs
- dishonestInclined to deceive
- deceitfulInclined to mislead others
- duplicitousDeliberately deceptive in nature
- disingenuousFeigning ignorance or innocence
insincere · untruthful · sly · sneaky · guileful · fraudulent · trickery · subterfuge
counterfeit
Fraudulent imitation
imitation · pseudo · fictitious · fabricated · simulated · ersatz · mock · pretend · replica · knockoff
scam
Dishonest money-making scheme
- hoaxDeliberate deception for effect
- swindleDeception for financial gain
- charlatanFaker claiming false expertise
impostor · cheat · quackery · flimflam · con · grift · racket · hustle · mountebank · snake-oil
facade
Deceptive outward appearance
- guiseExternal manner shown
- charadeAbsurd or obvious pretense
- masqueradeDeceptive act or costume party
feigned · veneer · act · front · pose · affectation · pretend · playacting · sham · impersonation
baseless
Lacking factual support
- unsubstantiatedWithout supporting evidence
- groundlessLacking factual support
- unsupportedLacking backing or proof
unwarranted · unjustified · specious · fallacious · erroneous · invalid · false · untrue · fabricated · concocted
misleading
Causing false beliefs
- dishonestInclined to deceive
- deceitfulInclined to mislead others
- duplicitousDeliberately deceptive in nature
disingenuous · insincere · untruthful · sly · sneaky · guileful · fraudulent · trickery · subterfuge · cunning
- falsifiedfalsified, doctored, fabricated, fake, faked
- fraudscam, fraud, swindle, con, deceive
- scamsscam, scams, fraud, frauds, swindle
- 90s Slangall that, as if, da bomb, the bomb, dope
- American slangbamboozle, bunkum, conniption, discombobulate, doozy
- authenticityauthentic, genuine, real, fake, counterfeit
bogusvalid
Legally or logically sound
legitimate · sound · credible · substantiated · defensible
- bogus claimUnsubstantiated or false assertion
- bogus billsForged paper currency
- bogus degreesFraudulent educational credentials
- bogus credentialsFalsified proof of qualification