Public Broadens 'Scam' to Cover 5 Kinds of Products, Concepts and Systems
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Aug 6
Public Broadens 'Scam' to Cover 5 Kinds of Products, Concepts and Systems
1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Aug 6
Summary
“Scam” is increasingly being used to describe not just frauds but broad categories such as alcohol, manliness, flushable wipes, insurance and bottled water.
That shift reflects a looser meaning: not necessarily criminal deception, but anything seen as overpriced, manipulative or designed for someone else to profit at the buyer’s expense.
Online examples show the split clearly, with some consumers using “scam” for disappointing products while others still reserve it for false advertising or outright misrepresentation.
Comedian Alex Falcone says he uses the term deliberately as a metaphor for hidden advantage-taking, arguing it helps people spot systems or products they feel are tricking them.
The broader usage follows years of U.S. fascination with grifters—from Anna Delvey to Fyre Festival and NFTs—and now extends that suspicion from individual cons to everyday life.