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pretexting

British  
/ ˈpriːtɛkstɪŋ /

noun

  1. the practice of deceiving individuals into surrendering personal information for fraudulent purposes

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

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Spies, private investigators, criminals, and even some journalists have long used false identities to trick people into providing information, a practice known as pretexting.

From The New Yorker ● Feb. 11, 2019

Telephone Records and Privacy Protection Act of 2006 was passed in order to prevent pretexting of telephone companies to obtain subscriber information.

From Forbes ● Dec. 13, 2012

“There was a residue of mistrust because of the pretexting scandal,” said Mr. Bianco, who added, “I conclude in the book that he lacks the moral character to be C.E.O.”

From New York Times ● Aug. 14, 2010

"HARD-CHARGING" Holston was appointed general counsel of HP in 2007, months after heading up an independent probe into the so-called pretexting scandal in 2006.

From Reuters ● Aug. 13, 2010

At the entrance, Verelst, pretexting a pretext, sagely dropped out.

From The Paliser case by Edgar Saltus

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