A SWINDLER'S DICTIONARY:
Badger Game - The method of blackmailing by decoying a person into a compromising situation and extorting money by threats of exposure.
Bait and Switch - A sales tactic in which a bargain-priced item is used to attract a MARK's interest, only to make them spend more on another item.
Bunco - A Swindle. See also Bunco Squad.
Bunco Steerer - A person employed as a decoy in bunco.
Bunco Squad - For murder the cops have a Homicide Squad, for prostitution they have a Vice Squad and for swindlers they have the Bunco Squad.
Bunk - Empty talk ot a ludicrously false statement. Also a person who is an obvious liar.
Case Money - A nest egg ... the theoretically untouchable reserve for emergencies only.
Clip Joint - In some cases, a night-club where the prices are high and the patrons are FLEECED. Also, a casino or gambling den where the tables are fixed.
Confidence Game [Also Con Game] - A swindling operation in which advantage is taken of the confidence reposed by the victim in the swindler.
Gaff - A trick or gimmick used in a swindle or to rig a game. Magnetic dice as used in a Tat are a GAFF.
Grift - Money made dishonestly, as in a swindle or a confidence game. Someone "on the grift" is a GRIFTER.
Grifter - A con man (or woman). The term "grifter" sometimes refers soley to short con artists.
Graft - 1. Illegitimate or improper profit by dishonest or unjust means, specifically as by actual theft or by taking advantage of a public office or any position of trust or employment to obtain fees. A good example would be a dirty cop taking graft in the form of money, either by threatening arrest and taking a bribe or by simple theft of property that is rightly evidence. 2. A cut of the take on a con job.
On The Grift - To be actively working a con game.
Sharper - A shrewd cheater. Also sometimes called a sharpie.
Cardsharp [noun] : A professional grifter, specializing in cheating at card games.
Fleece - [verb] The object of the con: to take a mark's money.
Hustle - To obtain something by deceitful or illicit means; practice theft or swindling.
Finger - A person who points out a mark to be fleeced. Typically given a small cut of any take that comes from a succesful fleecing, or a flat fee.
Inside Man - The member of a con team who convinces the mark that a con has information that will allow both of them to earn some easy money.
Outside Man - The member of a con team who brings the mark into the swindle, also sometimes refered to as the ROPER.
Roper - The member of a con team who brings the mark into the swindle, also sometimes refered to as the OUTSIDE MAN.
Schill - A person who artificially increases the take by competeing with the mark. Also an undercover employee used by casinos to make gamblers gamble more.
Rook - A swindler or cheat, especially at games.
Long Con - Usually more risk than a short con, this type of con relies more on establishing a way to get more than a wallet or til full of cash. Also often the most dangerous type of con, think BRE-X. This type of con relies often on the personal charisma of the con artists.
Short Con - The most common type of con, small money low risk fast turnover. Often relies on social convention and public confidence in somone who is dressed well, seems respectable or trustworthy. Examples include: "The Twenties", as seen in The Grifters, in which a $20 bill is used to make another $20. "The Tat" is another example. "Bait and switch"
Take Dead Aim - Used in the long con, meaning to deeply research someone's habits.
The Mark - A person who is the intended victim of a swindler; a dupe.
The Hook - The greed a mark gets by the mention of big money by the grifter.
The Send - In a long con, when the mark is sent home for a large sum of money.
The Sting - The point in the con when a mark's money is taken.
The Tale - The explantion that makes "too good to be true" seem like "too good to pass up".
The Payoff - Graft or the delivery of money, often in a suitcase.
The Blow Off - To get rid of the mark once he's been conned.
The Cool Out - To pacify a mark after he's been conned.
Wire - Not to be confused with the long con job of the same name, a wire is a slang term for a pickpocket.
Badger Game - The method of blackmailing by decoying a person into a compromising situation and extorting money by threats of exposure.
Bait and Switch - A sales tactic in which a bargain-priced item is used to attract a MARK's interest, only to make them spend more on another item.
Bunco - A Swindle. See also Bunco Squad.
Bunco Steerer - A person employed as a decoy in bunco.
Bunco Squad - For murder the cops have a Homicide Squad, for prostitution they have a Vice Squad and for swindlers they have the Bunco Squad.
Bunk - Empty talk ot a ludicrously false statement. Also a person who is an obvious liar.
Case Money - A nest egg ... the theoretically untouchable reserve for emergencies only.
Clip Joint - In some cases, a night-club where the prices are high and the patrons are FLEECED. Also, a casino or gambling den where the tables are fixed.
Confidence Game [Also Con Game] - A swindling operation in which advantage is taken of the confidence reposed by the victim in the swindler.
Gaff - A trick or gimmick used in a swindle or to rig a game. Magnetic dice as used in a Tat are a GAFF.
Grift - Money made dishonestly, as in a swindle or a confidence game. Someone "on the grift" is a GRIFTER.
Grifter - A con man (or woman). The term "grifter" sometimes refers soley to short con artists.
Graft - 1. Illegitimate or improper profit by dishonest or unjust means, specifically as by actual theft or by taking advantage of a public office or any position of trust or employment to obtain fees. A good example would be a dirty cop taking graft in the form of money, either by threatening arrest and taking a bribe or by simple theft of property that is rightly evidence. 2. A cut of the take on a con job.
On The Grift - To be actively working a con game.
Sharper - A shrewd cheater. Also sometimes called a sharpie.
Cardsharp [noun] : A professional grifter, specializing in cheating at card games.
Fleece - [verb] The object of the con: to take a mark's money.
Hustle - To obtain something by deceitful or illicit means; practice theft or swindling.
Finger - A person who points out a mark to be fleeced. Typically given a small cut of any take that comes from a succesful fleecing, or a flat fee.
Inside Man - The member of a con team who convinces the mark that a con has information that will allow both of them to earn some easy money.
Outside Man - The member of a con team who brings the mark into the swindle, also sometimes refered to as the ROPER.
Roper - The member of a con team who brings the mark into the swindle, also sometimes refered to as the OUTSIDE MAN.
Schill - A person who artificially increases the take by competeing with the mark. Also an undercover employee used by casinos to make gamblers gamble more.
Rook - A swindler or cheat, especially at games.
Long Con - Usually more risk than a short con, this type of con relies more on establishing a way to get more than a wallet or til full of cash. Also often the most dangerous type of con, think BRE-X. This type of con relies often on the personal charisma of the con artists.
Short Con - The most common type of con, small money low risk fast turnover. Often relies on social convention and public confidence in somone who is dressed well, seems respectable or trustworthy. Examples include: "The Twenties", as seen in The Grifters, in which a $20 bill is used to make another $20. "The Tat" is another example. "Bait and switch"
Take Dead Aim - Used in the long con, meaning to deeply research someone's habits.
The Mark - A person who is the intended victim of a swindler; a dupe.
The Hook - The greed a mark gets by the mention of big money by the grifter.
The Send - In a long con, when the mark is sent home for a large sum of money.
The Sting - The point in the con when a mark's money is taken.
The Tale - The explantion that makes "too good to be true" seem like "too good to pass up".
The Payoff - Graft or the delivery of money, often in a suitcase.
The Blow Off - To get rid of the mark once he's been conned.
The Cool Out - To pacify a mark after he's been conned.
Wire - Not to be confused with the long con job of the same name, a wire is a slang term for a pickpocket.
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