sham
n. countablen. something that is not what it seems to be and is meant to trick people. It is a fake or a false situation that hides the truth.
n. something that is not what it purports to be; a spurious imitation or a deceptive act. Often implies a deliberate attempt to mislead or maintain a false appearance of legitimacy.
The public soon realized that the election was a complete sham.
The couple stayed together for the sake of their public image, but their marriage was a total sham.
The investigation revealed that the charity was a sophisticated sham designed to funnel donations into the private accounts of its founders while providing no actual services to the community.
Often used with the indefinite article ('a sham') or as a predicative noun after 'to be'.