confidence trick
Fraudster's elaborate scheme
A confidence trick is a swindle that depends on gaining the victim's trust.
The con artist establishes rapport, then exploits that confidence to defraud: The whole investment opportunity was an elaborate confidence trick.
Also called a confidence game or con.
The term gives us "con man" and "con artist."
Argument against
- scamDishonest money-making scheme
- swindleDeception for financial gain
- fraudIntentional criminal trickery
- hustleEnergetic, aggressive action
racket · grift · sting · bunco · fiddle · dodge · caper · setup
Professional fraud perpetrator
- grifterPetty fraud perpetrator
- swindlerPerson who deceives for money
- hustlerAggressive, unscrupulous earner
- fraudsterCriminal deceiver for gain
charlatan · impostor · mountebank · shark · fleecer · scammer · cheat · trickster
con
Argument against
- scamDishonest money-making scheme
- swindleDeception for financial gain
- fraudIntentional criminal trickery
hustle · racket · grift · sting · bunco · fiddle · dodge · caper · setup · long con
con artist
Professional fraud perpetrator
- grifterPetty fraud perpetrator
- swindlerPerson who deceives for money
- hustlerAggressive, unscrupulous earner
fraudster · charlatan · impostor · mountebank · shark · fleecer · scammer · cheat · trickster · bilker
hoax
Deliberate deception for effect
artifice · subterfuge · charade · masquerade · pretense · bluff · feint · stratagem · gambit · sleight of hand
mark
Visible impression or sign
patsy · gull · target · easy mark · fall guy · mug · rube · chump · stooge · soft touch
- fraudscam, fraud, swindle, con, deceive
- historical crimehighway robbery, pickpocketing, burglary, arson, piracy
- scamsscam, scams, fraud, frauds, swindle
- romance scamsromance scam, romance scams, romance fraud, sweetheart scam, catfishing
- deceptionlie, lies, lying, fake, fraud
- trickscard tricks, illusion, sleight of hand, sleight, vanishing act
confidence trickfair dealing
Honest, equitable conduct principle
transparency · square deal · straight dealing · candor · integrity
trick, confidence, confident, confide, confidential, unconfident, confiding, overconfidence, diffidence