scammer

noun

scam·​mer ˈska-mər How to pronounce scammer (audio)
plural scammers
Synonyms of scammer
: one who perpetrates a scam : a person who commits or participates in a fraudulent scheme or operation
insurance/credit card scammers
The company will not call you to ask for your Social Security or account number, but nefarious scammers might.—Ellen Marks
Now that most people are alert to suspicious e-mails and phony phone calls, text messages are the new frontier for scammers out to con you.—Consumer Reports

Synonyms of scammer

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Examples of scammer in a Sentence

Internet scammers who never seem to run out of swindles
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
As online services get better at blocking malicious traffic, the attackers and scammers behind them have been forced to find new ways to reach their targets. — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 31 Aug. 2026 There are several laws and regulatory agencies that might see the use of fake accounts—by scammers, advertisers, or even their mere existence on Meta’s platforms—as potentially infringing the law. — Jim Edwards, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2026 There still will be scammers, extortionists, extremists and others who try to take advantage of teens and adults. — Larry Magid, Mercury News, 26 Aug. 2026 That confusion can create an opening for scammers, says Carolina Rodriguez, director of New York's Education Debt Consumer Assistance Program (EDCAP). — Andreina Rodriguez, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for scammer

Word History

First Known Use

1972, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of scammer was in 1972

Rhymes for scammer

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Browse Nearby Words

scamillus
scammer
scammoniate
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Scammer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scammer. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

scammer

noun
scam·​mer ˈskam-ər How to pronounce scammer (audio)
: someone who perpetuates a scam : a person who commits or participates in a fraudulent scheme or operation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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