scammer

noun

scam·​mer ˈska-mər 

plural scammers

: one who perpetrates a scam : a person who commits or participates in a fraudulent scheme or operation

insurance/credit card scammers

The company will not call you to ask for your Social Security or account number, but nefarious scammers might.

—Ellen Marks

Now that most people are alert to suspicious e-mails and phony phone calls, text messages are the new frontier for scammers out to con you.

—Consumer Reports

Synonyms of scammer

• cheat
• dodger
• shark
• swindler

Examples of scammer in a Sentence

Internet scammers who never seem to run out of swindles

Recent Examples on the Web

Many people looking to promote their latest novels are reportedly falling victim to these scammers, who may promise authors access to the reading public while preying on them financially. — Justin Klawans, TheWeek, 4 Nov. 2026

My general feeling is that the narrative that Silicon Valley is a bunch of grifters and scammers and hype artists has really taken hold in pop culture. — Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 4 Nov. 2026

The would-be scammer positions themself as a sort of financial guru, seeking to convince victims that following their advice will insulate their victims from the global financial collapse that is sure to doom most everyone else. — Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 3 Nov. 2026

Unfortunately, scammers also like them because the money can be difficult to recover once the card numbers and PINs are shared. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 3 Nov. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1972, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for scammer

• amor
• clamor
• clamour
• glamor
• glamour
• grammar
• hammer
• jammer
• rammer
• stammer
• programmer
• sledgehammer

Kids Definition

scammer

noun

scam·​mer ˈskam-ər 

: someone who perpetuates a scam : a person who commits or participates in a fraudulent scheme or operation