grift
Small-time fraud
Grift is petty swindling or fraud, typically involving clever manipulation rather than outright theft.
A grift is a particular scheme or con, and a grifter is someone who makes a living this way.
The verb grift means to obtain money through such dishonest means.
He ran a small grift selling fake concert tickets.
In contemporary usage, grift often describes any hustle that exploits people's trust or gullibility for profit, from televangelism to dubious online courses.
Energetic, aggressive action
- swindleDeception for financial gain
- scamDishonest money-making scheme
- bamboozleDeceive through cunning
- flimflamDeceptive scheme or nonsense
hoodwink · dupe · bilk · fleece · ripoff · shakedown · fast-talk · gull
Deception through clever manipulation
- trickeryDeliberate deception or fraud
- duperyCalculated misleading of another
- guileSly, strategic dishonesty
- subterfugeDeliberate deception to conceal
artifice · duplicity · dissembling · pretense · misrepresentation · skulduggery · imposture · falseness
Fraudulent taking of entrusted assets
- larcenyUnlawful taking of goods
- fraudIntentional criminal trickery
- forgeryCreating fraudulent imitations
- counterfeitingMaking fake money
falsification · pilferage · peculation · misappropriation · siphoning · skimming · kickback · Ponzi scheme
Fraud who deceives for profit
- charlatanFaker claiming false expertise
- hustlerAggressive, unscrupulous earner
- swindlerPerson who deceives for money
- fraudsterCriminal deceiver for gain
flimflammer · mountebank · shyster · scammer · sharper · trickster · snake oil salesman · confidence man
Skillful hand-based deception
- prestidigitationSkillful hand-based illusions
- misdirectionIntentional focus manipulation
- palmingHiding object in hand
- sleight of handSkillful manual deception
cup and ball · card trick · street magic · close-up magic · flourish · manipulation · dexterity
hustle
Energetic, aggressive action
- swindleDeception for financial gain
- scamDishonest money-making scheme
- bamboozleDeceive through cunning
flimflam · hoodwink · dupe · bilk · fleece · ripoff · shakedown · fast-talk · gull · cozen
chicanery
Deception through clever manipulation
- trickeryDeliberate deception or fraud
- duperyCalculated misleading of another
- guileSly, strategic dishonesty
subterfuge · artifice · duplicity · dissembling · pretense · misrepresentation · skulduggery · imposture · falseness · charlatanism
embezzlement
Fraudulent taking of entrusted assets
- larcenyUnlawful taking of goods
- fraudIntentional criminal trickery
- forgeryCreating fraudulent imitations
counterfeiting · falsification · pilferage · peculation · misappropriation · siphoning · skimming · kickback · Ponzi scheme · pyramid scheme
conman
Fraud who deceives for profit
- charlatanFaker claiming false expertise
- hustlerAggressive, unscrupulous earner
- swindlerPerson who deceives for money
fraudster · flimflammer · mountebank · shyster · scammer · sharper · trickster · snake oil salesman · confidence man · impostor
legerdemain
Skillful hand-based deception
- prestidigitationSkillful hand-based illusions
- misdirectionIntentional focus manipulation
- palmingHiding object in hand
sleight of hand · cup and ball · card trick · street magic · close-up magic · flourish · manipulation · dexterity
- crimerobbery, accomplice, alibi, burglary, conspiracy
- hidden motivesulterior motive, hidden agenda, secret plan, scheming, plotting
- fraudscam, fraud, swindle, con, deceive
- conscon, scam, swindle, hustle, sting
- marketing scamsfalse ads, fake reviews, fake testimonials, fake endorsements, false promises
- noir slanggumshoe, femme fatale, private eye, shamus, peeper
grifthonesty
Truthfulness, sincerity
integrity · truthfulness · sincerity · good faith · straight dealing
grifthonest work
Legitimate, ethical employment
fair trade · ethical business · honest living · fair dealing
griftcharity
Voluntary aid for others
philanthropy · generosity · service · altruism · giving