Reverse Dictionary: CONFIDENCE GAME

ADJECTIVES 
L19.. ► IN  being a member of a confidence trick team, or, as a ‘civilian’, aware and tolerant of their activity → US criminals’ sl.
1940 ► AGAINST THE WALL said of a confidence swindle which is perpetrated without a fake office, extras, props, etc. → US sl.
1990 ► SCAMMED subjected to a confidence trick → sl.

NOUNS
16C.. ► VERSING LAW confidence tricks that focus on the use of counterfeit gold to entrap the victim → UK criminals’ sl.
L17.. ► PADDING  confidence trickery; swindling → sl.
1738 ► GAMBLING money-dropping → UK sl. obs.
1742 ► MACE confidence tricks; a swindle, usually involving fraudulent offers of credit; robbery by fraud → sl.
M18. ► QUEER  a confidence trick; a hoax → sl.
19C.. ► ABRAHAM SUIT → ABRAM SUIT working as a writer of begging letters, the pursuit of many small-time confidence tricksters at the time → sl.
E19.. ► GAGGING  a form of confidence trick, based on persuading a stranger that one is an old, if forgotten, friend → UK criminals’ sl.
M19. ► MAGGING  confidence trickery, swindling → sl.
1876 ► BANCO → BUNCO → BUNKO a swindle perpetrated by some form of confidence trick → US sl.
1877 ► HORNSWOGGLE a confidence trick; an act of surpassing or confusing → US sl.
1898 ► GYP a confidence trick, a swindle, a con; an instance of unfairness or deception → colloq.
L19.. ► ABRAHAM WORK → ABRAM WORK some form of confidence trick 
L19.. ► CAP  the act of ensnaring a victim into a confidence game → US criminals’ sl.
L19.. ► GAMING  playing a confidence trick or otherwise manipulating another → African-American sl.
L19.. ► PANEL GAME → PANEL TRICK  a form of confidence trick involving the passing of counterfeit money → sl.
L19.. ► SAWDUST GAME  a confidence trick based on the passing of bad banknotes → US sl.
L19.. ► SPOOF  a confidence trick; a hoax → sl.
L19.. ► THE MAG  confidence trickery, swindling → UK criminals’ sl.
20C.. ► SAMFIE a confidence trick → W. Indies sl.
1900 ► SANDBAG a confidence trick → US sl.
1908 ► LEMON → LEMON-GAME a type of confidence trick which involves defrauding a gullible player in a game of pool → US sl.
1910 ► MICHIGAN a confidence trick → US criminals’ sl.
1910 ► RAMPS a faked-up argument or similar commotion intended to disguise a confidence trick or swindle → sl.
1915 ► PAY-OFF a type of confidence trick in which the victim loses a large sum of money trying to follow the apparent good luck of the trickster → sl.
1925 ► TWEEDLE a confidence trick or swindle, esp. one involving counterfeit goods (originally a ring) → sl.
1930 ► JACK-OFF a confidence trick; a hoax → US sl.
1930 ► LONG CON a confidence trick or cheat that is carefully planned for perfect execution → sl., orig. US criminals’ usage
1930 ► TAP a confidence trick; a robbery → US sl.
1932 ► SHORT CON a small-scale confidence racket → US sl.
1937 ► PIGEON-DROP a confidence trick, esp. one which starts with a wallet dropped in front of the victim or ‘pigeon’ → US sl.
1938 ► THE IRISHMAN a species of the confidence trick → UK criminals’ sl.
1940 ► CONVINCER the stage in a confidence swindle when the victim is fully committed to the scheme → US sl.
1940 ► COP the money that confidence men allow a victim to win → US criminals’ sl.
1940 ► GAFF the place in which a confidence trick is carried out, such as a fake bookmaker’s or stockbroker’s office → US criminals’ sl.
1940 ► MUSH a short-con game played at a ball park where a confidence trickster poses as a bookmaker, taking bets, then raises an umbrella and disappears into the area where everybody is holding umbrellas → US criminals’ sl.
1940 ► RAG a confidence game based on stocks and shares → US criminals’ sl.
1940 ► TAKE GAME a confidence trick → US criminals’ sl.
1940 ► TALE a specific con where someone is persuaded to pay the con-man, who is posing as a bookmaker, for a lost bet that he did not ask to be made → UK criminals’ sl.
1940 ► TAPPER AND SUCKER RACKET a scheme to arrange for typewriters and vacuum cleaners to be left on approval at a residence, the goods would then be sold and the premises quickly vacated by the con-man and his partner → UK criminals’ sl.
1955 ► HYPE a confidence trick, a racket, a swindle, a publicity stunt → sl., orig. US
1958 ► BUST-OUT the high point of a confidence game, when the swindle occurs → US criminals’ sl.
1958 ► DRAG a confidence game in which a wallet is dropped as bait for the victim → US sl.
1959 ► MURPHY → MURPHY GAME  a type of confidence trick in which the victim is duped by unfulfilled promises of money, sex, etc. → US sl.
1960 ► FAKUS deceptive acts that contribute to a confidence trick → sl.
1960 ► KILLING FLOOR a place where victims are robbed and/or cheated by a confidence trickster → African-American sl.
1963 ► SCAM a confidence trick, swindle or racket, often specifically a fraudulent bankruptcy → sl., orig. US
1967 ► OKEY-DOKE a confidence trick; a swindle, trick or deception → sl., esp. African-American usage
1969 ► RAG STORE a big con swindle in which the lure is the promise of wealth from stocks traded based on allegedly inside information → US sl.
1970 ► SCAMMING practicing confidence tricks and similar schemes → sl.
1975 ► GAME an attempt to con → US sl.
1977 ► CUT-IN the initial contact with the intended victim in a confidence swindle → US sl.
1979 ► SKULL a confidence swindle → Trinidad & Tobago
1980 ► SKANK a confidence trick; a fraudulent scheme → W. Indies & Black British teen sl.
1981 ► WALKAWAY the final step in a confidence swindle, in which the swindlers walk away with the victim’s money → US sl.
1997 ► TRACTION in confidence games: an amount of money used to begin an increasingly larger series of swindles → US sl.

NOUNS, PERSON
16C.. ► MONGREL an accomplice who helps in a confidence trickster’s pose as a poor scholar → UK criminals’ sl.
M16. ► RETRIEVER → VERSER  the member of a confidence trickster team (practising the “Barnard’s Law) who actually plays the game of chance through which a victim is defrauded and who would often claim to be a friend of one of the victim’s friends → UK criminals’ sl.
1552 ► TAKER-UP the member of a confidence trick gang who gets hold of the prospective victim and brings him to the gang → UK criminals’ sl. obs.
1591 ► OAK → OKE the one who keeps a watch in a team of confidence tricksters → UK criminals’ sl. obs.
1591 ► TAKER the member of a confidence trick gang who gets hold of the prospective victim and brings him to the gang → UK criminals’ sl.
1592 ► POT-HUNTER a confidence trickster, one of a team but posing as an independent person, often drunk, who befriends a potential victim and lures them into a swindle → UK sl.
17C.. ► FALCONER a confidence trickster; one who poses as a poor scholar and thus persuades his victims to put up money in order to back the printing of some spurious learned pamphlet → UK criminals’ sl.
1669 ► BITER a confidence trickster → UK sl.
1674 ► BEAU-TRAP a confidence trickster, especially a card-sharp → sl.
1690 ► BILKER a confidence man → criminals’ sl.
1698 ► BITE a confidence trickster; a cheat → (Bk.)
L17.. ► JACK IN A BOX → JACK IN THE BOX  a street peddler who doubles as a confidence trickster → UK criminals’ sl.
L17.. ► NICKER  a confidence trickster; a thief; a cheat → sl.
1703 ► CADATOR a confidence trickster; especially one posing as a gentleman fallen on hard times → Eng. dial. & sl.
1735 ► GAMBLER a confidence trickster who drops a supposedly valuable object, as a ring, wallet, etc., and rather than claim it for himself, persuades a passerby to buy it from him → UK sl.
1737 ► MONEY-DROPPER a confidence man who specializes in dropping something supposedly valuable where it will be found by a potential victim, who is either lured into a game or persuaded to buy the ‘valuable’, while the conman claims that although they should, by rights, share the profits, he will sell his share and let the victim have the whole benefit; alternatively the victim is introduced to some of the sharp’s friends, who propose a game of cards or dice, in which they rob him → criminals’ sl.
1753 ► CAPPER a person who lures the victim into the swindle → US sl.
1781 ► GAGGER a confidence trickster, a cheat, esp. when telling ‘sob stories’ or posing as a deaf mute; a charlatan; a fraudster → sl.
1781 ► MACE a confidence trickster; a polished practitioner of the ‘mace’ → sl.
1789 ► GENTLEMAN OF THE DROP a confidence trickster who preys on naive countrymen, persuading them that they can win money by playing cards with a supposedly drunk person, who of course is a confederate → UK criminals’ sl.
L18.. ► NEEDLE  a confidence trickster → sl.
L18.. ► QUEER PLUNGER  a confidence trickster who plunges into water and is saved from ‘drowning’ → sl.
L18.. ► RANK NEEDLE  a confidence trickster → sl.
1803 ► JEREMY DIDDLER a confidence trickster; a cheat; a shabby swindling borrower → sl.
1812 ► MACE-GLOAK a confidence trickster; a swindler → sl.
1823 ► MACE-COVE a confidence trickster; a swindler → sl.
1828 ► GAMMONING COVE a confidence trickster; a swindler → UK criminals’ sl. obs.
1838 ► BLACKLEG a confidence trickster, preying on visitors to the city → UK sl.
1838 ► MAGSMAN a con-man; a street swindler → sl.
1839 ► BUTTONER a person who lures others into gambling or a confidence trick → criminals’ sl., obs.
1844 ► ACTOR a con-man; a person out to deceive or project a phony image; a liar → US sl.
M19. ► FAKER  a confidence trickster; a fraudster → sl.
M19. ► LURKMAN  a confidence trickster; a petty criminal → Aust. sl.
M19. ► OUTSIDE MAN  the member of a confidence trick team who locates a potential victim, lures him deeper into the hoax, and helps to fleece him; the ‘steerer’ for a brothel → sl., orig. US
1850 ► GUY a person who acts as a decoy in a confidence game; also, a petty swindler → Amer. criminals’ sl.
1859 ► HEELER the partner of the pocketbook or purse-dropper in a drop confidence game; the heeler ‘accidentally ‘ hits the victim on the back of the heel to bring his attention to a purse on the ground → criminals’ sl.
1859 ► MACEMAN a confidence trickster; a swindler → sl.
1860 ► BABE a confidence trickster’s accomplice → UK criminals’ sl.
1860 ► TWANG ADAM COVE the well-spoken confidence man who makes the initial contact with the victim → UK criminals’ sl. obs.
1863 ► BEAT a confidence trickster; a swindler → sl.
1867 ► MOKE a confidence trickster; a pickpocket → US criminals’ sl.
1876 ► BANCO-STEERER a confidence-trick man; a swindler; a sharper → US sl.
1881 ► BEAN TRAP a well-dressed, high-class confidence man; a stylish sharper → criminals’ sl.
1881 ► FAKE a confidence trickster; a thief; a swindler; a charlatan → Amer. sl.
1889 ► CON ARTIST a confidence man → Amer. sl.
1889 ► CON MAN a confidence man → Amer. sl.
1890 ► HIGHBINDER a confidence man; a swindler, a cheat → New York sl.
1891 ► HANDSHAKER a confidence trickster; a swindler → US sl.
1894 ► TEAR-DOWN a confidence trickster → Aust. sl.
1895 ► BLACKBIRD a confidence man or blackmailer → criminals’ sl.
1897 ► CON a confidence trickster → orig. US
1898 ► BACKER the accomplice in a greengoods swindle who provides the money used to lure the victim → con artists’ sl.
1899 ► MONTE-MAN a confidence trickster → Aust. & US sl.
L19.. ► BUZZER  a confidence trickster who fools a shopkeeper into parting with a gold sovereign using sleight of hand and some hidden wax →  UK criminals ‘sl.
L19.. ► CON-PLAYER  a confidence trickster → sl., orig. US
L19.. ► CON-WOMAN  a female confidence trickster → sl., orig. US
L19.. ► SAWDUST MAN → SAWDUST SWINDLER  a confidence trickster who passes bad banknotes → US sl.
L19.. ► SPOOFER  a confidence trickster → sl.
L19.. ► TUG  a confidence trickster → Aust. sl.
20C.. ► BAIT an attractive man or woman used to lure a victim into a con-game or a mugging → sl.
1900 ► FAKE-MAN a confidence trickster → Aust. sl.
1900 ► TALE-TELLER a confidence trickster; a fraudulent racecourse tipster → sl., orig. Aust.
1902 ► BIG MITT MAN a confidence trickster → US criminals’ sl.
1902 ► MONTE a confidence trickster; one who plays monte, the three-card trick, ‘find the lady’ → US criminals’ sl.
1906 ► HEAD a confidence trickster; a thief → UK criminals’ sl.
1906 ► TALE-PITCHER a confidence trickster who ‘tells the tale’ → UK sl.
1910 ► ILLYWHACKER a confidence trickster; a shady liver by his wits; a trickster → Aust. sl.
1910 ► URGER a confidence trickster’s confederate → Aust. criminals’ sl
1913 ► SHILLABER a confidence trickster; someone posing as an enthusiastic or successful customer to encourage other buyers, gamblers, etc. → sl.
1926 ► STICK a confidence trickster; someone posing as an enthusiastic or successful customer to encourage other buyers, gamblers, etc. →  US sl.
1914 ► HIPER a petty confidence game operator → US criminals’ sl.
1916 ► BIG MITTER a confidence trickster → US criminals’ sl.
1916 ► SHILL a confidence trickster; someone posing as an enthusiastic or successful customer to encourage other buyers, gamblers, etc. → sl.
1917 ► GYPSTER a con artist, a swindler; a person, esp. a trader, who defrauds or cheats others artist → US sl.
1920 ► WANGLER a confidence trickster; a cheat; one who contrives; one who deceives → colloq.
1925 ► SALESMAN a con man who is a member of a gang of swindlers → con artists’ sl.
1925 ► TWEEDLER a confidence trickster; a swindler → sl.
1926 ► ACID MAN a con artist → criminals’ sl.
1926 ► TAKE-DOWN a confidence man; a deceiver or cheat; a thief; a swindler → Aust. sl.
1928 ► HAMFATTER a second-rate confidence trickster → US criminals’ sl.
1929 ► GRAND RASCAL a confidence man; a scoundrel; a cheat → Amer. dial.
1929 ► SAMPLER a con artist who tricks merchants into selling him goods on credit for which he has no intention of paying → con artists’ sl.
1930 ► BLUFF ARTIST a confidence trickster → sl.
1930 ► FAST-TALKER a confidence trickster → sl.
1933 ► T.B. a confidence trickster → sl.
1935 ► GIP ARTIST a confidence man; a professional crook; a skilful cheat → Amer. sl.
1935 ► INSIDE MAN a person involved in any of various special roles in a confidence trick or robbery → US sl.
1940 ► EXCESS BAGGAGE a second-rate confidence man → US criminals’ sl.
1940 ► HEEL-GRIFTER a small-time or second-rate con-man → US criminals’ sl.
1940 ► RAM a trickster’s confederate who encourages the public to lose their money in a con-game → Aust. sl.
1942 ► OIL MERCHANT a confidence man; a clever swindler → Amer. sl.
1943 ► MOOSHE-MAN a confidence trickster; a hoaxer → W. Indies
1945 ► TAKE a confidence trickster; a swindler → Aust. & NZ sl.
1949 ► CONNEROO a confidence swindler → US sl.
1950 ► LAMPER a confidence trickster → W. Indies sl.
1959 ► SAMFAI MAN → SAMFIE → SAMFIE MAN a confidence trickster → W. Indies sl.
1960 ► JEFF ARTIST a confidence trickster; a liar → US sl.
1960 ► RAG MOB a team of confidence men working ‘the rag’, a trick based on persuading the victim that they can profit  form a fixed stock swindle → US criminals’ sl.
1961 ► ALIAS MAN a confidence swindler → Jamaica sl.
1961 ► PIGEON-DROPPER a confidence trickster who uses the ‘pigeon-drop’ → US sl.
1967 ► GAMER a confidence trickster; one who lives by their wits; a person engaged in swindles and hustles as a way of life → US sl.
1967 ► MISS MURPHY WALKER a ‘Murphy man’; one who practices a Murphy swindle (a confidence game practiced on victims who are seeking prostitutes, drugs, gambling, etc.) → US criminals’ sl.
1968 ► BURN a con man; a cheat; someone who cheats or harms someone else → Amer. criminals’ sl.
1970 ► FANNY MOB confidence tricksters → UK criminals’ sl.
1971 ► GINALL → GINNAL a confidence trickster → W. Indies & Jamaica
1972 ► SCAMMER a confidence man, a swindler; a person who earns his living dishonestly, esp. by his wits → sl., orig. US
1974 ► SHUFFLER a con artist; someone who swindles people out of money through fraud → Amer. sl. (Bk.)
1976 ► MONEY-DOUBLER a confidence trickster who claims to be able to double a person’s money → Nigeria
1978 ► SCAM ARTIST a confidence trickster → sl.
1988 ► DUDDER a con artist; a swindler → Aust. sl.
1988 ► TOUT an agent who, for a commission, locates potential victims for a confidence swindle → US sl.
1992 ► BACKUP MAN \the accomplice of a confidence man, usually the one who lures the victim → con artists’ sl. (Bk.)
1992 ► BILL-WRAPPER a confidence man who wrapped currency inside certain packages and then held a lottery selling his product to victims who hoped to receive one of the packages with money inside; unfortunately these were usually reserved for the confidence man’s accomplice → con artists’ sl. obs. (Bk.)
1992 ► GLIM-HUSTLER a confidence man pretending to be an eye specialist; he ‘identifies’ a rare eye diseases in victims, writes out a prescription, and collects a fee → criminals’ sl. (Bk.)
1992 ► HEDGEHOPPER a confidence artist who defrauds automobile companies and is constantly on the move to avoid exposure → criminals’ sl. (Bk.)
1992 ► TAKEOFF MAN the confidence man who enters in the final act and takes the money off the victim → con artists’ sl. (Bk.)
1998 ► SCAMSTER a confidence trickster → sl.
2003 ► NKALAFAKER a confidence trickster; a person who is not so much to be admired as was originally thought → S. Afr. teen sl.

NOUNS PERSON – VICTIM OF CONFIDENCE GAME
L16.. ► RABBIT SUCKER  a rich young man who is gulled into running up large bills by confidence tricksters who later dun him for their debts → UK criminals’ sl.
L16.. ► SIMPLER  the victim of a confidence trickster or a prostitute → UK criminals’ sl.
19C.. ► GAY the dupe of a con man → sl.
1864 ► FLY-FLAT a person taken in by confidence tricksters → Brit. sl.
1883 ► MARK the intended victim of confidence tricksters → sl., orig. US
20C.. ► CHICKEN a victim of a confidence game, robbery, kidnapping, etc. → Amer. sl.
1940 ► CHIEF a potential victim of a confidence trickster; a credulous person; it is common term of address, used ironically by the con-man when he approaches the victim → W. Indies sl.
1950 ► ACTION a victim of a confidence trick, etc. → sl.

VERBS
M19. ► KIDDY  to subject to confidence trickery; to hoax, to humbug → sl.
1890 ► JOSTLE to engage in petty confidence games → US criminals’ sl.
L19.. ► WORK A SLANTER  to play a confidence trick on; to defraud, to hoax → sl.
20C.. ► BACK AND FILL to charm a potential victim before subjecting them to a confidence trick → sl.
1900 ► TAKE A TUMBLE to ‘fall for’ a confidence trick → US criminals’ sl.
1914 ► SHILL to pose as an enthusiastic or successful customer to encourage other buyers, gamblers, etc. → chiefly Amer.
1925 ► TWEEDLE to play confidence tricks or swindle → sl.
1940 ► COP A FINAL to get rid of someone who has been used temporarily to help work a confidence trick on a victim → African-American sl.
1940 ► COP to win money from a victim; said of a con-man → US criminals’ sl.
1950 ► RAM to work as a confidence trickster’s accomplice → Aust. sl.
1960 ► JEFF to work a confidence trick; to fool a victim → US criminals’ sl.
1965 ► MURPHY to deceive or dupe someone by means of the Murphy game → US sl.
1970 ► QUALIFY to assess the potential of a possible victim → US criminals’ sl.
1985 ► COME HOT to complete the swindle which the victim immediately understands to have been a swindle → US sl.
2000 ► SKANK to work a confidence trick; to operate a fraud; to work behind someone’s back → UK sl.