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
How to avoid stimulus check scams As plans for any forthcoming checks remain unclear, stimulus scams have become so widespread that the IRS has cautioned the public to stay vigilant.
—
Cheyenne Derksen, Oklahoman, 20 Feb. 2026
Keep your items close and protected The amount of local scams and pickpockets in many European cities is a constant issue for travelers.
—Jillian Dara, Travel + Leisure, 20 Feb. 2026
This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 19 Feb. 2026
Precious metals scams are significant enough that federal and state regulators regularly issue investor alerts about them.
—Jessica Walrack, USA Today, 18 Feb. 2026
For patients, the dangers of these scams are obvious.
—John Whyte, STAT, 17 Feb. 2026
Last year, more than 40,000 Chinese people were detained in Myanmar over scams and deported to China.
—Hannah Beech, New York Times, 31 Dec. 2024
In the summer of 2024, New York Attorney General Letitia James warned about investment scams using deepfake videos of celebrities like Warren Buffett and Elon Musk to lure investors.
—Steven Smith, Forbes, 30 Dec. 2024
Life advice Olivier Morin/AFP via Getty Images Fraudsters are improving their scams with the help of artificial intelligence.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 27 Dec. 2024
Cheyenne Derksen, Oklahoman, 20 Feb. 2026
Keep your items close and protected The amount of local scams and pickpockets in many European cities is a constant issue for travelers.
—Jillian Dara, Travel + Leisure, 20 Feb. 2026
This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 19 Feb. 2026
Precious metals scams are significant enough that federal and state regulators regularly issue investor alerts about them.
—Jessica Walrack, USA Today, 18 Feb. 2026
For patients, the dangers of these scams are obvious.
—John Whyte, STAT, 17 Feb. 2026
Last year, more than 40,000 Chinese people were detained in Myanmar over scams and deported to China.
—Hannah Beech, New York Times, 31 Dec. 2024
In the summer of 2024, New York Attorney General Letitia James warned about investment scams using deepfake videos of celebrities like Warren Buffett and Elon Musk to lure investors.
—Steven Smith, Forbes, 30 Dec. 2024
Life advice Olivier Morin/AFP via Getty Images Fraudsters are improving their scams with the help of artificial intelligence.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 27 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scams
Noun
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Once recruited, victims were allegedly forced to conduct romance scams, fake cryptocurrency investment schemes and other online frauds targeting victims abroad.—
Dylan Butts,
CNBC,
16 Feb. 2026
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The frauds have grown nearly in lockstep with the growth of the industry.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
11 Jan. 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
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The Los Angeles Times reported that similar threats in multiple states, including Georgia, were traced to Russian domains and labeled politically disruptive hoaxes.—
Zachary Bynum,
CBS News,
18 Nov. 2025
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In addition to the various homecoming shootings on HBCU campuses, several schools have fallen victim to swatting hoaxes aiming to foster confusion and chaos among the community.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
9 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Scams.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scams. Accessed 25 Feb. 2026.
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