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Glite Dictionary
to try to scam

to try to scam

5 5.8
Attempt to trick someone and take their money
  • phrasal verb
  • Informal
translation icon : intentar estafar
  • Some vendors will try to scam you by getting you to use their own tracking system.
  • just trying to scam

It's like they're trying to scam analysts, like they're trying to scam like Apple.

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Examples

Synonyms

to trick
vsto try to scam
326 3.5

To make someone believe something false so you can get what you want

adds focus on attempting deception specifically to gain money rather than general advantage
to deceive
vsto try to scam
270 3.9

To make someone believe something that is not true to get an advantage

narrows focus to trying to fool others especially when money is the main motive
to con
vsto try to scam
  • Informal
61 7.3

To trick someone into giving their money or things

focuses on attempting deceit rather than on actually taking money
to bamboozle
vsto try to scam
  • Informal
11 8.3

To trick someone by pretending you want to help them

is about trying to deceive, especially for financial gain, not only charm
to play (someone) for a fool
vsto try to scam
  • Offensive
7 7.4

Treat someone as stupid to trick or cheat them

is more about attempting deception for gain, not only insulting intelligence
to con out of
vsto try to scam
  • Slang
6 8.1

To trick someone into giving you their money or other things

emphasizes trying to deceive for money, not only faking things
to sham
vsto try to scam
1 6.4

To pretend to be or feel something to trick people

is about trying to deceive for financial benefit rather than only creating a false appearance
to play false
vsto try to scam
1 8.1

To trick someone who trusts you by hiding your real plans to get something for yourself

focuses on attempting to deceive mainly for money rather than hidden motives
to con someone
vsto try to scam
  • Slang
7.7

To trick someone to get their money

is about attempting to deceive for financial benefit rather than guaranteed success
to flimflam
vsto try to scam
  • Archaic
9.6

To trick someone by lying or cheating

is focused on attempting to deceive specifically to gain money

How Deceptive

to defraud
  • Formal
40 6.9
to try to scam
  • Informal
5 5.8
to deceive
270 3.9
to trick
326 3.5

Surface Forms

try to scam infinitive
tried to scam past
tried to scam past participle
trying to scam present participle
tries to scam third person singular

Morphology

try + to + scam

The meaning 'attempt to deceive' is directly compositional from 'try' (to attempt) + 'to' (infinitive marker) + 'scam' (to defraud). Even if 'scam' is shown as a noun in the input, learners who know the noun and see the infinitive 'to' will readily infer the verb sense; this follows a regular and predictable English pattern accessible to B1 learners.

Etymology

Try to scam paints a simple image: someone makes a secret plan or trap to take money from another person, so to try and scam someone is to 'try to cheat' them. One popular idea is that 'scam' grew from the word 'scheme', which helps explain why the phrase means 'try to cheat someone, often for money'.