scam /skam/ nouninformal noun: scam; plural noun: scams a dishonest scheme; a fraud. "an insurance scam" fraud swindle fraudulent scheme racket trick diddle con con trick flimflam kite ramp twist hustle grift shakedown bunco boondoggle rort verb verb: scam; 3rd person present: scams; past tense: scammed; past participle: scammed; gerund or present participle: scamming swindle. "a guy that scams the elderly out of their savings" synonyms for scam blackmail deceit deception extortion fraud hoax racket ripoff shakedown sham cheating con double-dealing flimflam hosing hustle sting con game https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2018/05/07/gettyimages-884707082_slide-3c2b6e5a2c8355c01a9dff9da5dcf25cea69ae86-s1100-c50.jpg