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Showing results for scam. Search instead for scamming.
Synonyms

scam

American  
[skam] / skæm /

noun

scams plural
  1. a confidence game or other fraudulent scheme, especially for making a quick profit; swindle.


verb (used with object)

scammed, scamming
  1. to cheat or defraud with a scam.

scam British  
/ skæm /

noun

  1. a stratagem for gain; a swindle

"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

verb

  1. (tr) to swindle (someone) by means of a trick

"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

Usage

What does scam mean? A scam is a deceptive scheme or trick used to cheat someone out of something, especially money. Scam is also a verb meaning to cheat someone in such a way. Example: Banks will never call you asking for your credit card number or social security number over the phone. If someone calls and asks for information like that, it’s a scam.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

Etymology

Origin of scam

1960–65; originally carnival argot; of obscure origin

Explanation

A scam is a sneaky or dishonest plan that's meant to con someone. A diet scam, for example, falsely claims that people will lose weight if they buy special pills or drinks. A scam is basically a hoax dressed up to look like a real business plan, worthwhile invention, or investment idea. Scams are almost always designed to make money for their creators. You can also use the word as a verb: "His evil plan was to scam people into buying fake tickets to the baseball game." Word experts know that scam came from US carnival slang, but beyond that its origins are a mystery.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing scam

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Around Surfside Beach, many locals blame the town for not catching the scam in time.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 21, 2026

Below them is John, in prison regarding the aforementioned gas scam; a career con man, he skimmed that missing $10 million.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 15, 2026

I fell victim to an online dating scam.

From MarketWatch Jul. 14, 2026

"We expect firms to take robust action to stamp out scam ads and boot out the bad actors behind them to safeguard their users."

From BBC Jul. 10, 2026

"I've been hearing this scam all week," I said.

From "Hole in My Life" by Jack Gantos

Historically, authorities have clawed back pilfered funds about 75% of the time when scams were reported within 72 hours, said the FBI’s Lynch.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 21, 2026

Phishing scams are like an octopus: They have many sticky tentacles.

From MarketWatch Jul. 14, 2026

Here are his top tips on how to manage your money from saving to avoiding scams.

From BBC Jul. 8, 2026

Trip-related problems are so common, in fact, that consumer advocate Christopher Elliott has stitched an entire career out of resolving them — from timeshare scams to horrible airline customer service and beyond.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 8, 2026

Once in a while I’d leak stuff about phishing scams.

From "Burning Blue" by Paul Griffin

“I didn’t get scammed, they got scammed,” Chief Executive Alyssa Bowker said of the town.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 21, 2026

He says he has not been able to recover any of his money and now wants to warn others about how easy it is to be scammed.

From BBC Jun. 19, 2026

Who do you think is most likely to be scammed?

From Los Angeles Times May 13, 2026

When even seasoned travelers are scammed by imposters using online search ads.

From The Wall Street Journal May 3, 2026

I may not have liked the people in Lily that much, but I felt sorry for anyone being massively scammed.

From "Where Things Come Back" by John Corey Whaley

Here’s the common sense: This isn’t a problem of scamming students or lazy teachers, though of course both exist.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 8, 2026

But then you also see headlines about everyone’s scamming.

From Los Angeles Times Apr. 17, 2026

Begging, scamming and threatening: they’re all tools of the writer’s trade in Pamela Hansford Johnson’s dark comedy.

From The Wall Street Journal Jan. 2, 2026

But efforts to make peace with Cambodia rested on Phnom Penh's commitment to "destroy scamming attempts", Thailand's Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul told reporters at an international anti-scam conference in Bangkok on Wednesday.

From Barron's Dec. 19, 2025

“They were scamming you. Girls scam guys all the time with that. Kerri was listening in on the extension.”

From "Tangerine" by Edward Bloor

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