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Society, Law & Politics - Fraud & Swindle

Explore English idioms regarding fraud and swindle with examples like "on the fiddle" and "slush fund".

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English idioms related to Society, Law & Politics
dog and pony show

a flashy or impressive event that lacks substance or meaning

Ex: Investors saw the pitch as a dog and pony show with nothing of substance.
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loan shark

a person who lends money to people, typically under illegal conditions, at a very high rate of interest

Ex: The police arrested a loan shark who had been charging illegal interest for years .
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five-finger discount

the action of taking goods from a store without paying for them

Ex: She was banned from the mall after getting caught with a five-finger discount.
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funny business

any activity or behavior that is considered suspicious, dishonest, or deceptive, often intended to deceive or cheat others

Ex: The deal looked good at first , but there was funny business hidden in the fine print .
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creative accounting

the use of misleading accounting methods to present a company's financial position in a more favorable light

Ex: Investors were warned about creative accounting that might overstate profits .
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money laundering

the process of concealing the origins, ownership, or destination of illegally obtained money by passing it through a legitimate financial institution or businesses

Ex: The charity denied being a front for money laundering.
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sharp [practice]

the act or practice of engaging in unethical or questionable business practices that are intended to gain an advantage over competitors or deceive customers

Ex: The salesman's sharp practice made customers think the warranty was included.
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hush money

money that is offered to someone so that they do not share a piece of information or a secret with others

Ex: They tried to disguise the hush money as a consulting fee .
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slush fund

an amount of money that is set aside to be used for dishonest or illegal activities

Ex: Executives funneled money into a slush fund to cover up illegal dealings .
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to [take] {sb} to the cleaners

to take someone's possessions by force or without the right to do so

Ex: By the time the fraud was discovered, the investors had already been taken to the cleaners.
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easy money

money that one gains without much effort and often by dishonest means

Ex: She thought she could make easy money, but the plan backfired .
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on the fiddle

used to refer to a person, organization, etc. that uses dishonest or illegal methods to gain money

Ex: Once the auditors arrived, everyone on the fiddle started to panic.
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(quick|fast) buck
quick buck
[phrase]

money earned quickly or with ease, particularly in a dishonest way

Ex: The website was built to make a fast buck from careless shoppers.
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