Definition

1. Noun:
   • A swindle in which you cheat at gambling or persuade a person to buy worthless property: A "confidence trick" is a specific type of fraud where the perpetrator (the "con artist") first gains the victim's trust and confidence, and then uses that trust to deceive them, typically to obtain money or valuables. The core of the crime is the exploitation of trust, not just the deception itself.

Usage

• The term is used to describe a planned, deceptive act of fraud.
• It is often associated with elaborate schemes where the victim is made to feel they are participating in a legitimate or highly advantageous transaction.
• The phrase is commonly used in legal, journalistic, and general descriptive contexts.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The elderly man lost his life savings in an elaborate confidence trick involving fake gold bars.
  • The police warned the public about a new confidence trick where scammers pose as bank officials.
  • She realized too late that the "investment opportunity" was nothing more than a confidence trick.

Advanced Usage

• "To pull a confidence trick on someone": To successfully execute a confidence trick against a person.
  • The gang was arrested for pulling a confidence trick on dozens of tourists.
• "To fall for a confidence trick": To become a victim of a confidence trick.
  • Despite the warnings, many people still fall for this classic confidence trick.

Variants and Related Words

• Confidence game (noun): A synonym, more common in American English.
  • He was a master of the confidence game.
• Con trick (noun, informal): A shortened, colloquial form.
  • It was a simple con trick, but it worked.
• Con artist / Con man (noun): The person who performs a confidence trick.
  • The con artist was very charming and persuasive.
• Swindle (noun/verb): A more general term for a fraudulent scheme.
• Scam (noun/verb, informal): A dishonest scheme; a fraud.

Synonyms

• Swindle: A fraudulent scheme or action.
• Scam: A dishonest scheme, often less formal.
• Fraud: Wrongful or criminal deception intended to result in financial or personal gain.
• Bunco (US, informal): A swindle or confidence trick.
• Hustle (informal): A fraud or swindle, especially in gambling contexts.

Related Phrases

• Confidence man: Another term for a con artist.
• To con someone: The verb form, meaning to deceive someone using a confidence trick.
  • He conned her out of thousands of dollars.

Related Idioms

• A con job: An informal idiom meaning a deceptive act or scheme.
  • The whole deal turned out to be a con job.

Noun

1. a swindle in which you cheat at gambling or persuade a person to buy worthless property