Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| estafa | /esˈtafa/ | feminine |
| timo | /ˈtimo/ | masculine |
| petardo | /peˈtaɾdo/ | masculine |
| pufo | /ˈpufo/ | masculine |
In Spanish, these terms describe a fraudulent deal. You can use the phrase Cuidado con las estafas to say 'Be careful with scams' or desenmascarar un engaño to express the act of uncovering or exposing a scam. To say 'to be scammed' or 'to be deceived', you can use either ser estafado(a) or ser timado(a).
Which one should you use?
The choice of word depends on the context and tone. estafa is the most formal and standard term, often used in legal or official contexts to describe fraud. timo is a more colloquial and common way to refer to a scam or a trick in everyday conversation. Additionally, petardo is a colloquial term that can mean a scam, but it often implies that something is a complete disappointment or a 'dud'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For formal situations, use the feminine noun estafa or the masculine noun fraude (fraud). To say 'to defraud' formally, use the verb defraudar. In informal settings, use the masculine noun timo or the verb timar (to scam). On a slang level, pufo is used to describe a scam or a particularly bad, dishonest deal.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun estafa is derived from the verb estafar, which means to defraud or to scam someone. Other verbs that mean to defraud or to embezzle include timar and sisar.
Did you know?
- The term estafa has an unexpected origin related to horse riding, as it comes from the Italian word for 'stirrup'.
Examples in context
- Esto es una estafa.This is a scam.Tatoeba #6629009 by Schuager, translation #1690514 by Spamster
- Es una estafa, Yanni.It's a scam, Yanni.Tatoeba #10024774 by manufrutos, translation #10023830 by Amastan
- Él participó en una gran estafa.He took part in a big scam.Tatoeba #1154154 by marcelostockle, translation #1154157 by marcelostockle
- Me estafaron con la compra del carro.They scammed me with the car purchase.
- Ese hombre es conocido por estafar a las personas mayores.That man is known for scamming older people.
- El banco está investigando el fraude financiero.The bank is investigating the financial fraud.
- Aquella empresa fue acusada de defraudar a sus empleados.That company was accused of defrauding its employees.
- Cuidado con ese sitio web, parece un timo.Be careful with that website, it seems like a scam.
- El vendedor intentó timarme con ese producto falso.The seller tried to scam me with that fake product.
- ¡Qué engaño! Me vendieron un boleto falso para el concierto.What a scam! They sold me a fake ticket for the concert.
- No te dejes engañar por esas ofertas demasiado buenas para ser verdad.Don't let yourself be deceived by those too good to be true offers.
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofía and Alejandro are discussing a suspicious email.
- Sofía¿Has visto este correo electrónico?Have you seen this email?
- AlejandroNo, pero parece una estafa evidente.No, but it looks like an obvious scam.
- SofíaTienes razón, Alejandro.You are right, Alejandro.
- AlejandroNo abras ningún enlace.Don't open any links.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “scam” translations and entries estafa, timo, petardo, pufo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries estafa, petardo, pufo, timo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
