scam

/ˈskam/

origin unknown

noun

  1. a fraudulent or deceptive act or operation

an insurance scam

verb

  1. to deceive and defraud (someone)

  2. to obtain (something, such as money) by a scam

… the law firm had got the lucrative job of defending the corporate head of a savings and loan that had scammed another thousand or so people out of their savings …