# scam

/ˈskæm/ (US) · /skˈæm/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/scam
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. a fraudulent scheme

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

a dishonest trick or plan used to steal money from someone.

For teachers: a fraudulent business scheme or deceptive operation intended to defraud individuals of money or assets.

- The email was a scam designed to steal my bank account details.
- The authorities warned citizens about a sophisticated phone scam where callers impersonate tax officials to demand immediate payment via gift cards.

### 2. to trick someone

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal

to trick someone so you can take their money or property.

For teachers: to defraud a person or organisation through a deceptive scheme; functions as a transitive verb taking the victim as the object.

- He tried to scam me by selling a fake ticket to the concert.
- The rogue contractor scammed several elderly homeowners out of their savings by claiming their roofs required urgent, non-existent repairs.

## Examples

- The email was a scam to steal my password.
- The police issued a warning about a new phone scam targeting elderly residents by pretending to be government officials.
- As digital transactions become the global norm, the sophistication of the average phishing scam has increased, making it harder for even tech-savvy users to distinguish between legitimate and fraudulent communications.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.