short change
Underpay through deception
Short change is the practice of giving someone less money back than they're owed, whether by accident or design.
The verb shortchange extends beyond cash transactions to mean cheating someone of what they deserve: The budget cuts shortchanged public schools.
Someone who gets shortchanged receives less than their due—in money, attention, or opportunity.
Deception for financial gain
- scamDishonest money-making scheme
- conArgument against
- rip-offGrossly overpriced exchange
- cheatAct dishonestly to win
grift · hustle · skim · shortchange · bilk · fleece · gyp · flimflam
Given inadequate wages
- undercompensatePay below fair value
- lowballDeliberately understate cost
- stiffNot easily bent
- skimpEconomize excessively
withhold · dock · deprive · squeeze · undervalue · exploit · wage theft · underbid
Obtain dishonestly from someone
limit · restrict · curtail · neglect · underserve · disadvantage · hold back · begrudge
swindle
Deception for financial gain
cheat · grift · hustle · skim · shortchange · bilk · fleece · gyp · flimflam · bamboozle
underpaid
Given inadequate wages
- undercompensatePay below fair value
- lowballDeliberately understate cost
- stiffNot easily bent
skimp · withhold · dock · deprive · squeeze · undervalue · exploit · wage theft · underbid · scrimp
cheat out of
Obtain dishonestly from someone
starve · limit · restrict · curtail · neglect · underserve · disadvantage · hold back · begrudge · ration
- Payment Problemsunderpayment, shortfall, bounced check, NSF, bad check