احتيال
ihtiyal
The Arabic word for "scam" is احتيال (ihtiyal).
احتيال is used to refer to a fraudulent deal.
Meaning: fraudulent deal (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The noun احتيال is derived from a root meaning to use cunning or trickery to achieve a goal, and it literally translates to deception or fraud.
Which one should you use?
While احتيال is a formal term for fraud, the word نصب is a very common synonym often used in both legal and colloquial contexts to describe a scam.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Related to this is the verb اِحْتَالَ, which means to defraud or embezzle.
How do you pronounce it?
ihtiyal
Did you know?
- In some dialects, if someone is 'scammed' by a very obvious trick, they might say they were مضحوك عليه, which literally means 'he was laughed upon'.
- The colloquial word for scam, نصب, comes from a root meaning 'to set up' or 'to pitch'. It originally referred to the act of pitching a tent or setting up a fake stall to lure victims.
- The root of احتيال is shared with the word حيلة, which means 'a trick' or 'a ruse'. In classical Arabic literature, a حيلة was not always negative and could refer to a clever solution to a difficult problem.
Examples in context
- لا تسقط في فخ الاحتيالات المالية.Do not fall into the trap of financial scams.
- حذارِ عملياتِ الغشِ عبرَ الإنترنتِ.Beware of online scams.
- احذر تلك الشركة، نصب كبير!Beware of that company, it's a big scam!
- لا تقع في فخ الابتزاز الإلكتروني.Don't fall into the trap of online scams/extortion.
- تعرضت لعملية احتيال كبيرة.ta'arradtu li-'amaliyyat ihtiyal kabira.I was a victim of a big scam.
Example conversation
Ahmed and Nour are talking about a suspicious phone call.
- أحمد Ahmedهل تلقيتِ اتصالاً غريباً اليوم؟hal talaqqayti itisalan ghariban al-yawm?Did you receive a strange call today?
- نور Nourنعم، يبدو أنه احتيال.na'am, yabdu annahu ihtiyal.Yes, it looks like a scam.
- أحمد Ahmedلا تعطي أي معلومات شخصية.la tu'ti ayya ma'lumat shakhsiya.Don't give any personal information.
- نور Nourشكراً على النصيحة يا أحمد.shukran 'ala al-nasiha ya Ahmed.Thanks for the advice, Ahmed.
