scam

noun
UK: /skæm/
US: /skæm/

  1. A dishonest plan, scheme, or trick.

    1. That lottery ticket was a scam. [ ] [ ]
    2. The email promised easy money, but it turned out to be a scam. [ ] [ ]

  2. A fraudulent business scheme, especially one designed to obtain money by deceiving people.

    1. He lost money in an investment scam. [ ] [ ]
    2. The company was running a sophisticated scam targeting elderly people. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

fraud swindle hoax rip-off deception trick con cheat
scam verb

  1. To defraud or deceive someone with a scam.

    1. They tried to scam me online. [ ] [ ]
    2. He scammed her out of all her savings. [ ] [ ]

  2. To obtain something by dishonest or fraudulent means.

    1. He scammed a free ticket to the concert. [ ] [ ]
    2. The con artist scammed his way into a wealthy social circle. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "scam" in English means: A dishonest plan, scheme, or trick., A fraudulent business scheme, especially one designed to obtain money by deceiving people..

The phonetic transcription of "scam" is /skæm/ in British English and /skæm/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "scam": fraud, swindle, hoax, rip-off, deception, trick, con, cheat.

Example usage of "scam": "That lottery ticket was a scam.". More examples on the page.