What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
fraud
Example
The company was accused of fraud for misrepresenting their financial statements. [fraud: noun]
Example
He was found guilty of committing fraud by falsifying documents. [committing: verb]
scam
Example
The email was a scam, promising a large sum of money in exchange for personal information. [scam: noun]
Example
She realized she had been scammed when she received a fake product after paying for a genuine one. [scammed: past participle]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Scam is more commonly used than fraud in everyday language, especially in the context of online scams or fraudulent schemes. However, fraud is a more formal term that is often used in legal or business contexts.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between fraud and scam?
Fraud is a more formal term that is often used in legal or business contexts, while scam is more informal and colloquial. Both terms can be used in various formality levels, depending on the context and audience.
