: a fraudulent or deceptive act or operation
an insurance scam
scammed; scamming; scams
1
: to deceive and defraud (someone)
… the law firm had got the lucrative job of defending the corporate head of a savings and loan that had scammed another thousand or so people out of their savings …—
Joseph Wambaugh
Joseph Wambaugh2
: to obtain (something, such as money) by a scam
A Boston hedge fund manager who scammed millions of dollars from friends, family and other investors in what authorities say was a Ponzi scheme has been sent to prison for more than 14 years.—The Worcester (Massachusetts) Telegram & Gazette
The Worcester (Massachusetts) Telegram & GazetteSynonyms
Examples of scam in a Sentence
Noun
She was the victim of an insurance scam.
a sophisticated credit card scam
Verb
The company scammed hundreds of people out of their life savings.
I could tell they were scamming you and charging too much.
They scammed a lot of money from unwary customers.
Recent Examples on the WebSusan Tompor, Detroit Free Press, 30 Apr. 2024
Regulators warn that the industry attracts scam artists, who try to con customers with deceptive sales practices, high-pressure pitches and inflated prices.
—USA TODAY, 30 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for scam 
Noun
All sorts of consumer watchdogs, toll road systems, and law enforcement authorities are warning about an uptick in a turnpike scam.
—Susan Tompor, Detroit Free Press, 30 Apr. 2024
Regulators warn that the industry attracts scam artists, who try to con customers with deceptive sales practices, high-pressure pitches and inflated prices.
—USA TODAY, 30 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for scam
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'scam.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near scam
Cite this Entry
“Scam.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scam. Accessed 4 May. 2024.
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