underground economy
Off-the-books commerce
The underground economy is economic activity that goes unreported to avoid taxes or regulations.
This includes cash payments to workers, barter arrangements, and illegal transactions like drug sales.
Also called the shadow economy, black market, or informal economy.
Estimates suggest the underground economy accounts for fifteen percent of GDP.
- illegal gamblingProhibited wagering activity
- black marketIllicit trading system
- contrabandProhibited trade goods
- smugglingIllegal covert transport
- no questions askedWithout requiring explanation
organized crime · money laundering · counterfeit goods · funny money · clandestine · offshore accounts · gig work · street hustle · barter systems · tax evasion · shell companies · front business · tax havens · human trafficking · off the books · cash in hand · counterfeiting · hidden assets
- black marketblack market, illegal trade, smugglers, contraband, traffickers
- informal economiesbarter, bartering, swap, trade networks, barter systems
- economic protestlabor strike, general strike, rent strike, consumer boycott, picket
- secret networkssecret societies, cabals, cells, hidden networks, criminal networks
- smugglingcontraband, smugglers, human smuggling, smuggling rings, people smuggling
- hidden moneyhidden assets, hidden wealth, hidden income, secret stash, cash stash
economy, underground, economic, economical, economics, economist, subterranean, economies, economically