Deception Techniques

noun a person who cheats or tricks others by persuading them to believe something that is not true

• The authorities were able to apprehend the notorious con artist who had been scamming people for years.
• I heard that Joe is a real con artist, always trying to pull a fast one on people.
• Watch out for that con artist, he's been known to swindle unsuspecting victims.
• Her ability to manipulate situations and people made her a con artist in the game of politics.

adjective characterized by stealth; surreptitious; secretive

• The detective noticed the suspect's furtive movements as he tried to hide something in his pocket.
• I saw your furtive glances at the party last night, what were you up to?
• She gave me a furtive wink before slipping out of the room.
• The furtive whispers of the forest creatures added to the mysterious atmosphere of the night.

noun a wrong or incorrect direction or instruction

verb to give (someone) wrong directions or instructions

• The detective realized the criminal had tried to misdirect the investigation by planting false evidence.
• Don't let him misdirect you with his excuses, he's just trying to avoid taking responsibility.
• She's always trying to misdirect people to cover up her mistakes.
• The magician used misdirection to make the audience believe the coin had disappeared.

adjective sly, deceitful, or underhanded in behavior

• The sneaky thief managed to steal the priceless artifact without anyone noticing.
• I saw you being sneaky and trying to take an extra cookie from the jar!
• She's always so sneaky, you never know what she's up to.
• His sneaky tactics in the negotiation room helped him secure a better deal.

noun deceitful or dishonest behavior; the practice of using tricks to deceive or cheat others

• The magician amazed the audience with his clever trickery during the show.
• I can't believe she used trickery to win the game.
• He pulled off some serious trickery to get out of trouble.
• Her words were filled with trickery, trying to deceive those around her.

noun a type of fraud that occurs when a scammer deceives someone into believing they are in a romantic relationship in order to gain financial advantage

• Romance fraud is a serious crime that involves deceiving someone into a fake romantic relationship to scam them out of money.
• Watch out for romance fraud on online dating sites, where scammers pretend to be interested in a relationship just to steal your money.
• Don't fall for that romance fraud scheme, it's just a way for scammers to take advantage of people looking for love.
• The rise of romance fraud serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of trusting strangers with your heart and your wallet.