arnaque

scam, rip-off

noun ahr-NAHK Rare

Origin: from 'arnaquer' (to swindle), origin uncertain, possibly from Norman dialect

Usage Note

Arnaque is an informal but very common word for fraud or deception; the verb arnaquer means 'to con' and arnaqueur/arnaqueuse is a con artist. It covers everything from tourist traps to internet fraud. A common exclamation is c'est une arnaque! ('it's a rip-off!').

Examples

"Ce site internet est une arnaque."

Natural Translation

That website is a scam.

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