| any swindle in which the swindler, after gaining the confidence of the victim, robs the victim by cheating at a gambling game, appropriating funds entrusted for investment, or the like. |
| confidence game n. A swindle in which the victim is defrauded after his or her confidence has been won. |
confidence game
Also, confidence trick; con game. A swindle in which the victim is defrauded after his or her trust has been won. For example, The police warned of a confidence game in which people were asked to turn over valuables for a so-called appraisal, or The typical confidence trick is easy to spot if you know what to look for, or I almost let myself be taken in by her con game
she seemed so sincere. These terms, which use confidence in the sense of "trust," date from the mid-1800s. They also gave rise to confidence man (or con man) for the swindler.
confidence game
any elaborate swindling operation in which advantage is taken of the confidence the victim reposes in the swindler. Some countries have created a statutory offense of this name, though the elements of the crime have never been clearly defined by legislation, and the scope of proscribed behaviour remains subject to varying interpretations among jurisdictions.
Learn more about confidence game with a free trial on Britannica.com.