con man
Professional trust exploiter
A con man is a person who deceives others for profit, typically through elaborate schemes that exploit trust.
The term comes from "confidence man"—someone who gains a victim's confidence before swindling them.
Con men run cons, also called confidence games or confidence tricks: The con man posed as a financial advisor and bilked retirees out of their savings.
The feminine equivalent is con woman, though con man sometimes covers both.
One feigning another's identity
- charlatanFaker claiming false expertise
- swindlerPerson who deceives for money
- grifterPetty fraud perpetrator
- hustlerAggressive, unscrupulous earner
fraudster · trickster · mountebank · shark · sharpie · flimflammer · cheat · faker
Fraudulent returns from newcomers
- pyramid schemeFraud through endless recruitment
- shell gameStreet swindle with cups
- bait-and-switchFraudulent substitution tactic
- phishingFraudulent credential harvesting
identity theft · wire fraud · flimflam · bunco · three-card monte · sweetheart scam · investment fraud · insurance fraud
Deception for financial gain
- defraudObtain through deceit
- fleeceWool still on sheep
- bilkDefraud of payment
- scamDishonest money-making scheme
dupe · hoodwink · deceive · bamboozle · beguile · con · hustle · cheat
impostor
One feigning another's identity
- charlatanFaker claiming false expertise
- swindlerPerson who deceives for money
- grifterPetty fraud perpetrator
hustler · fraudster · trickster · mountebank · shark · sharpie · flimflammer · cheat · faker · hoaxer
Ponzi scheme
Fraudulent returns from newcomers
- pyramid schemeFraud through endless recruitment
- shell gameStreet swindle with cups
- bait-and-switchFraudulent substitution tactic
phishing · identity theft · wire fraud · flimflam · bunco · three-card monte · sweetheart scam · investment fraud · insurance fraud · snake oil
swindle
Deception for financial gain
scam · dupe · hoodwink · deceive · bamboozle · beguile · con · hustle · cheat · trick
silver-tongued
Persuasively articulate speaker
- glibSuperficially articulate
- smoothWithout roughness or difficulty
- charmingPleasantly attractive in manner
persuasive · cunning · sly · wily · slippery · crafty · artful · shrewd · manipulative · deceptive
mark
Visible impression or sign
patsy · victim · easy mark · rube · fall guy · stooge · gull · fish · chump · sitting duck
- street consshell game, three card monte, three-card monte, thimblerig, cups and balls
- deceptionlie, lies, lying, fake, fraud
- cheaterscheat, cheater, swindler, deceiver, fraud
- Crookscrook, swindler, fraudster, embezzler, grifter
- deceiversliar, liars, deceiver, fraud, fake
- roguesrogue, rogues, scoundrel, scoundrels, rascal
con mantruth-teller
One who speaks accurately
straight shooter · honest broker · man of his word · Good Samaritan · philanthropist
con manrobber
One who steals by force
mugger · armed robber · burglar · thief · pickpocket
man, confidence, scammer, con artist, confidence man, con men, confidence trickster