con artist
- Noun:
- A person who cheats or tricks others by gaining their trust and then exploiting it: A "con artist" is someone who uses deception, charm, and manipulation to persuade a victim to voluntarily hand over money, information, or valuables based on a false promise or story. The core of the activity is the abuse of the victim's confidence.
- Noun:
- The elderly couple lost their savings to a con artist who posed as a bank inspector.
- She was a brilliant con artist who could talk anyone into investing in her fake company.
- The documentary exposed the techniques used by con artists to exploit people's good nature.
"To be a real con artist": Used to emphasize someone's exceptional skill in deception.
- He's not just a liar; he's a real con artist who makes you believe his stories completely.
"To work/operate like a con artist": To behave in a manipulative and deceptive manner, even outside of formal fraud.
- The salesman worked like a con artist, using flattery and pressure to close the deal.
Con man / Con woman (n): Informal, gender-specific terms for a con artist.
- He was known as a slick con man in the city.
Swindler (n): A more general term for someone who cheats others out of money or property.
- Fraudster (n): A person who commits fraud, often in a business or financial context.
- Grifter (n): Informal term for a con artist, especially one who works in petty scams.
- Swindler: A person who uses deception to deprive someone of money or possessions.
- Scammer: A person who commits fraud or a scam.
- Charlatan: A person who falsely claims to have a special knowledge or skill; a quack.
- Hustler: A person who uses aggressive or deceptive methods to obtain something.
To con someone (v): The verb form meaning to deceive or trick someone.
- He conned them out of thousands of dollars with a fake investment scheme.
A con game / con job (n): The specific scheme or act of deception carried out by a con artist.
- The whole business proposal was an elaborate con game.
"To sell someone a bridge": An idiom referring to an impossible or fraudulent sale, similar to a con artist's scam. (A reference to the classic "Brooklyn Bridge scam").
- If you believe that promise, he'll sell you a bridge next.
"Snake oil salesman": An idiom for a con artist who sells fraudulent goods or cures.
- The self-proclaimed health guru turned out to be nothing but a snake oil salesman.
- a swindler who exploits the confidence of his victim