scam

1 of 2

noun

: a fraudulent or deceptive act or operation
an insurance scam

scam

2 of 2

verb

scammed; scamming; scams

transitive verb

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
2
: 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

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 Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Dating apps, including Tinder, are fertile ground for scams, according to various consumer protection sources including the FBI and Federal Trade Commission. Anne Marie D. Lee, CBS News, 30 June 2025 The move would block laws on the books in more than 20 states, including those covering AI scams, election misinformation and explicit deepfake images of children. Jay O'Brien, ABC News, 30 June 2025
Verb
These accounts may also be bots programmed to phish for details or direct you to scam pages. Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 18 June 2025 In rapid-fire monologues, the comedian discusses the many ways people and companies scam consumers. Jade Walker, CNN Money, 9 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for scam

Word History

Etymology

Noun

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun

1958, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1963, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of scam was in 1958

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Scam.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scam. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

scam

noun
ˈskam
: a fraudulent or deceptive act or operation
lost $500 in a business scam
scam verb
Etymology

Noun

origin unknown

More from Merriam-Webster on scam

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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