Bilker: meaning, definitions and examples
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bilker
[ ˈbɪlkər ]
deceptive person
A bilker is someone who engages in fraudulent schemes to cheat or swindle others out of money or goods. This term often refers to con artists or scammers who use deceitful tactics to trick their victims. Bilkers can operate in various contexts, from small-scale scams to large financial frauds. It's important to recognize the signs of a bilker to protect oneself from their dishonest practices.
Synonyms
cheat, con artist, fraudster, scammer, swindler.
Examples of usage
- The bilker convinced the elderly couple to invest in a fake company.
- Local authorities warned about a bilker who was impersonating a charity worker.
- She realized too late that she had fallen victim to a bilker's clever scheme.
Translations
Translations of the word "bilker" in other languages:
🇵🇹 fraudador
🇮🇳 धोखेबाज़
🇩🇪 Betrüger
🇮🇩 penipu
🇺🇦 шахрай
🇵🇱 oszust
🇯🇵 詐欺師
🇫🇷 escroc
🇪🇸 estafador
🇹🇷 dolandırıcı
🇰🇷 사기꾼
🇸🇦 محتال
🇨🇿 podvodník
🇸🇰 podvodník
🇨🇳 欺诈者
🇸🇮 prevarant
🇮🇸 svikahrókur
🇰🇿 алаяқ
🇬🇪 მატყუარა
🇦🇿 aldadıcı
🇲🇽 estafador
Etymology
The word 'bilker' originates from the early 20th century, deriving from the verb 'to bilk', which means to cheat or defraud a person or entity. This verb likely traces back to an earlier usage in British English, where it was employed to describe cheating at games of chance. The exact etymology beyond this is somewhat unclear, but it is thought to be related to the dialectical word 'bilk', meaning to thwart or prevent. The term gained more traction as various forms of con jobs became prevalent, particularly during economic recessions when scams targeting vulnerable populations proliferated. With the emergence of the internet, the term 'bilker' has found new relevance as online scams have become widespread, leading to an increase in discussions around how to identify and avoid bilkers in both personal and business contexts.