grifting
Cheating for money
Grifting is swindling or running small-scale scams—obtaining money through deception, trickery, or exploitation of trust.
A grifter works confidence games, petty frauds, or schemes that separate marks from their money: He spent years grifting tourists with fake charity collections.
The term has expanded to describe any manipulative hustle, from dubious influencer promotions to political fundraising that enriches the fundraiser more than the cause.
Intentional criminal trickery
- swindleDeception for financial gain
- hustleEnergetic, aggressive action
- conArgument against
- bamboozleDeceive through cunning
flimflam · dupery · hoax · racket · sham · scam · hoodwink · chicanery
Person who deceives for money
- charlatanFaker claiming false expertise
- fraudsterCriminal deceiver for gain
- con artistProfessional fraud perpetrator
- impostorOne feigning another's identity
trickster · scammer · hustler · flimflammer · bilker · defrauder · mountebank · confidence man
Fraudulent credential harvesting
- ponzi schemeSwindle paying old with new
- pyramid schemeFraud through endless recruitment
- catfishingDeceiving via false identity
- wire fraudCrime via electronic communication
embezzlement · forgery · identity theft · extortion · shakedown · romance scam · pump and dump · telemarketing fraud
fraud
Intentional criminal trickery
bamboozle · flimflam · dupery · hoax · racket · sham · scam · hoodwink · chicanery · trickery
swindler
Person who deceives for money
- charlatanFaker claiming false expertise
- fraudsterCriminal deceiver for gain
- con artistProfessional fraud perpetrator
impostor · trickster · scammer · hustler · flimflammer · bilker · defrauder · mountebank · confidence man · shyster
phishing
Fraudulent credential harvesting
- ponzi schemeSwindle paying old with new
- pyramid schemeFraud through endless recruitment
- catfishingDeceiving via false identity
wire fraud · embezzlement · forgery · identity theft · extortion · shakedown · romance scam · pump and dump · telemarketing fraud · investment fraud
sucker
Easily fooled person
dupe · rube · victim · easy target · fall guy · stooge · chump · greenhorn · fish · sitting duck
griftinghonest work
Legitimate, ethical employment
fair dealing · ethical conduct · square dealing · straight dealing · straight shooting
griftinghard work
Sustained strenuous effort
earning one's keep · working for a living · earning a living · productive labor · sweat equity
griftinggenerosity
Readiness to give freely
philanthropy · giving · altruism · helping · serving others