what's the difference between "swindler" and "fraud"?

Question

I'm interested in the differences between these two Words even if the difference is small. But I'm not looking for obvious differences like "they spell differently".

The context is a description of a person. For example:

"he is a swindler", or "he is a fraud".

Answer 1

fraud refers to deception without passing further information about the intent or results of the deception. A swindler is someone that takes from others without giving fair or equitable return, usually by fraud or deception, but not necessarily. Swindler would be results-based, and fraud would be action-based. You may be both a swindler and a fraud, or a fraud but not a swindler, or a swindler but not a fraud.

Answer 2

Fraud is an intentional misrepresentation of facts made by one person to another with knowledge of its falsity and for the purpose of inducing the other person to rely and act upon with resulting injury

Swindler refers to a person who takes advantage of the weakness of other by means of deceit.

Answer 3

Fraud is more to say that someone is a fake whereas swindler is to refer to someone who cheats, like a person who cheats and lies to old people to get their money and then that person would be a swindler

Answer 4

A magician (using slight of hand), or a faith healer, are due to their claims referred to as fake or fraud, by the sceptics. When the faith healer fails 'to cure', someone with Aids, cancer, etc, the claim usually cited is, 'the person is evil', or they 'need to pay more money to get cured'. Whilst the magician uses his knowledge of people, to entertain, knowing the hand is faster then the eye, and it is pretty much understood he is a fake/fraud, in the sense he can only do magic tricks, not magic per say, the faith healer actually says he can heal. But he meticulously selects his targets to cure, those who are example only deaf in one ear, or can walk a few steps. Before the crowd, when the adrenaline is flowing, 'the miracle' works. Long term no discernible changes for the better.



Someone selling a potion, a drug that claims to cure all ills, are swindlers. They know they are selling at best, sugar coloured water, or dummy pills. They are not laying claim to a higher power, to sell. Appealing to the victims greed or gullibility. Dating agencies, via the internet, the man asks for money from the woman, using some sob story, saying he'll reimburse her later. Later = bye bye sucker.

Dating swindle. http://dating.about.com/od/onlinedating/qt/datingscams.htm



http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/swindler

verb (used with object), swin·dled, swin·dling.

1. to cheat (a person, business, etc.) out of money or other assets.

2. to obtain by fraud or deceit.

verb (used without object), swin·dled, swin·dling.

3. to put forward plausible schemes or use unscrupulous trickery to defraud others; cheat.

noun

4. an act of swindling or a fraudulent transaction or scheme.

5. anything deceptive; a fraud: This advertisement is a real swindle



http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/fraud?s=t

noun

1. deceit, trickery, sharp practice, or breach of confidence, perpetrated for profit or to gain some unfair or dishonest advantage.

2. a particular instance of such deceit or trickery: mail fraud; election frauds.

3. any deception, trickery, or humbug: That diet book is a fraud and a waste of time.

4. a person who makes deceitful pretenses; sham; poseur

— n

1. deliberate deception, trickery, or cheating intended to gain an advantage

2. an act or instance of such deception

3. something false or spurious: his explanation was a fraud

4. informal a person who acts in a false or deceitful way



http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-swindler.htm

Swindler is a type of salesman who deliberately uses deception to gain money, fame or power. Also referred in slang terms as a con man, a swindler may use confidence tricks on his audience to convince them to do what he wants them to do. Synonyms for swindler include the words mountebank and charlatan. In the 19th century, medicine shows traveled the midwestern and southern United States, offering "cures," at a price, for almost every ailment imaginable. These shows typically consisted of entertainment such as freak shows, flea circuses, musical acts and magic tricks before the sales pitch. People were duped into buying a range of goods, none worth what they paid or capable of doing what was promised.



A swindler commits the crime of fraud. The legal definition of fraud can vary in different legal jurisdictions, but a general definition of fraud requires the deception be intentional and deliberate. The deception must be performed with the intended result of undeserved benefit to the swindler. Penalties can vary along with the jurisdiction.



Confidence tricks work by gaining the trust of the mark, the person the swindler is attempting to defraud. By convincing the mark to trust him, the swindler can use that trust to his advantage. When selling a fraudulent product, pseudoscience is often used to convince the mark of the product’s value by quoting false statistics.



http://www.sfo.gov.uk/fraud/what-is-fraud.aspx

What is fraud?

Fraud is a type of criminal activity, defined as:



'abuse of position, or false representation, or prejudicing someone's rights for personal gain'.



Put simply, fraud is an act of deception intended for personal gain or to cause a loss to another party.



The general criminal offence of fraud can include:



deception whereby someone knowingly makes false representation

or they fail to disclose information

or they abuse a position.

Fraudsters are always finding new ways to trick you out of your money. You could find yourself targeted through emails, phone calls, letters, social networking sites or even chat rooms. For a greater understanding of the types of fraud and how they are classified please see our taxonomy of fraud.



Investment fraud, bribery & corruption, corporate fraud, public sector fraud.