as in frauds
an instance of the use of dishonest methods to acquire something of value
that's just a scam to bilk insurance companies for staged accidents
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Recent Examples of scams
On March 24, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 to approve a proposal by Chair Terra Lawson-Remer to create the Consumer Fairness and Public Protection Unit, charged with fighting scams and unfair business practices.
—
Adam Summers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
Unlike other crimes that use hacking or social engineering scams to access victims’ funds remotely, wrench attacks rely on more brutish methods of coercion like kidnapping and torture.
—Megan Cassidy, San Francisco Chronicle, 3 Apr. 2026
Calls come in about elders caught in financial scams or elders who are sick.
—Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 2 Apr. 2026
Crypto and phishing scams also run rampant on the microblogging site.
—Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 2 Apr. 2026
Federal data shows these scams remain widespread; more than 330,000 government impersonation complaints were reported to the FTC in 2025.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 2 Apr. 2026
The illicit industry is closely involved in human trafficking, with foreign nationals employed to run romance and cryptocurrency scams, often after being recruited with false job offers and then forced to work in conditions of near-slavery.
—ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026
What about seniors who are at huge risk of fraud and scams online?
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 1 Apr. 2026
Phone scams continue to evolve and appear more believable.
—Susan Tompor, Freep.com, 26 Mar. 2026
Adam Summers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
Unlike other crimes that use hacking or social engineering scams to access victims’ funds remotely, wrench attacks rely on more brutish methods of coercion like kidnapping and torture.
—Megan Cassidy, San Francisco Chronicle, 3 Apr. 2026
Calls come in about elders caught in financial scams or elders who are sick.
—Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 2 Apr. 2026
Crypto and phishing scams also run rampant on the microblogging site.
—Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 2 Apr. 2026
Federal data shows these scams remain widespread; more than 330,000 government impersonation complaints were reported to the FTC in 2025.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 2 Apr. 2026
The illicit industry is closely involved in human trafficking, with foreign nationals employed to run romance and cryptocurrency scams, often after being recruited with false job offers and then forced to work in conditions of near-slavery.
—ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026
What about seniors who are at huge risk of fraud and scams online?
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 1 Apr. 2026
Phone scams continue to evolve and appear more believable.
—Susan Tompor, Freep.com, 26 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scams
Noun
-
There are some elite frauds going on in the sports world right now.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
16 Mar. 2026
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That will weed out the frauds, freeloaders and slumlords.—
Scott Ostler,
San Francisco Chronicle,
1 Mar. 2026
Noun
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But cybersecurity experts believe many are coming from the same criminal organizations in Southeast Asia that have been linked to other high-profile swindles in recent years, like romance scams on dating apps.—
Shannon Pettypiece,
NBC news,
20 Oct. 2025
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Frauds, swindles, cons, scams, and deceptions — collectively known as hoaxes.—
Scott Neuman,
NPR,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Obviously, these are hoaxes right now.—
March 17,
CBS News,
17 Mar. 2026
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Broadcasters that are running hoaxes and news distortions – also known as the fake news – have a chance now to correct course before their license renewals come up.—
Jack Dunn,
Variety,
14 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Scams.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scams. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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