scam

Etymology

US carnival slang of uncertain origin. Possibly from scamp (“swindler, cheater”) or Irish cam (“crooked”). Also possibly from Danish skam; if so, it would be a doublet of shame and sham. The word "scam" became common use among the US "drug culture" in early 1980 after Operation ABSCAM, an FBI sting operation directed at public officials, became public.

noun

  1. A fraudulent deal.
    That marketing scheme looks like a scam to me.
  2. Something that is promoted using scams.
    That new diet burger is a scam.

verb

  1. (transitive, intransitive) To defraud or embezzle.
    They tried to scam her out of her savings.
  2. (slang) To seek out a partner for casual sex; to hit on.
    His friend nudged me. "It's true. JJ only scams black ladies." / "You don't say?" / "J-boy scammed a real live Miss Black Universe once. Met her in a disco down in Honduras. Wearing her title. Since then he's been obsessed." 2005, Robert Antoni, Carnival, New York, N.Y.: Black Cat, page 54

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