pawned off as
Passed off fraudulently
To pawn something off as something else is to pass it off deceptively, presenting an inferior or fake thing as genuine or valuable: He tried to pawn off the replica as an original.
The phrase combines the sense of pawning—getting rid of something for quick gain—with deliberate misrepresentation.
Often appears as pawned off on when emphasizing the victim: They pawned off defective merchandise on unsuspecting customers.
- fakeNot the real thing
- passed offTransferred or misrepresented
- swapExchange one for another
- counterfeitFraudulent imitation
- tradeExchange of commodities
bargain · sham · snake oil · hustle · bait and switch · fast one · misrepresentation · lie · foisted · fraud · con job · persuasion · coercion · charade · taken for a ride · guile · fib · knockoff