[Ads-l] Scam etymology

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

Here is another intriguing example of Damon Runyon using "scamus".
Runyon writes, "pull the scamus on me" in 1945.

Date: February 19, 1945
Newspaper: Springfield Daily News
Newspaper Location: Springfield, Massachusetts
Article: As I See It
Author: Damon Runyon
Quote Page 4, Column 6
Database: Newspapers.com

https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-republican-scamus/199340588/

[Begin excerpt]
I prefer a fake that I know in advance is to be a fake because then I
can study the technic from start to finish but I am just as happy when
they pull the scamus on me unexpected like 'and give a sudden unlooked
for thrill. A real good fake between lads who know their business is
never dull while a square john encounter can sometimes bore you half
to death.
[End excerpt]

Garson O'Toole

On Wed, Jun 10, 2026 at 8:03 PM ADSGarson O'Toole
<adsgarsonotoole at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Interesting question, Zeke. Excellent citation, Ben.
>
> Here is another piece of evidence. The 1955 citation below uses the
> phrase "scam tricks" in the domain of automobile sales. The
> Lincoln-Mercury auto seller is in Encino, California. The article
> refers to different types of scams using short phrases. The phrase "
> T.O. men" probably refers to "turn-over men". See the 1965 citation
> given further below.
>
> Date: June 16, 1955
> Newspaper: The Van Nuys News
> Newspaper Location: Van Nuys, California
> Article: Integrity (Advertisement for an automobile seller: Reg. Fudge
> Co., Lincoln-Mercury, Encino, California)
> Quote Page 22D, Column 1
> Database: Newspapers.com
>
> https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-van-nuys-news-and-valley-green-sheet/199336807/
>
> [Begin excerpt]
> If you are the type of person that wants a fair and honest deal, no
> T.O. men, no "high balls," ups, downs and other scam tricks. If you
> wish to be treated courteously and like a sane intelligent person,
> visit our showrooms. Our salesmen specialize in low pressure.
> [End excerpt]
>
> The 1965 citation below describes a "T. O. Man" (or "turn-over man")
> as a high-pressure salesman who closes a deal. This citation does not
> contain the word "scam". It is simply intended to help explicate "T.O.
> men".
>
> Date: October 31, 1965
> Newspaper: Southern Illinoisan
> Newspaper Location: Carbondale, Illinois
> Article: He Turned the Depression Into Opportunity
> Author: Erik Stottrup (The Southern Illinoisan)
> Quote Page 18, Column 1
> Database: Newspapers.com
>
> https://www.newspapers.com/article/southern-illinoisan-toman/199337485/
>
> [Begin excerpt]
> "In those days if a salesman couldn't make a sale with a guy he would
> turn him over to another man,' Goldstein said. The T. O. Man, or
> turn-over man," Goldstein said, then twisted the customer's arm a
> little harder in an effort to make the sale.
> [End excerpt]
>
> Garson O'Toole
> QuoteInvestigator.com
>
> On Wed, Jun 10, 2026 at 10:36 AM Ben Zimmer
> <00001aae0710f4b7-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu> wrote:
> >
> > Another data point, from 1950:
> >
> > ---
> > https://www.newspapers.com/article/los-angeles-evening-citizen-news-carnie/199299574/
> > Citizen-News (Hollywood, Cal.), Dec. 26, 1950, p. 2, col. 1
> > "Odd Lingo Explained: Carnie Heeds Law, But Con Man Doesn't"
> > Research begun recently at the University of California at Los Angeles by
> > Dr. Edwin M. Lemert, assistant professor of sociology, indicates a striking
> > similarity between the language of the carnie, person working with a
> > carnival, and of the con man, one who swindles by gaining the confidence of
> > a "mark" (victim) and taking money from him under false pretenses. [...]
> > "Certain words, such as 'strom,' 'gischray,' and 'skam,' have many meanings
> > and yet have no meaning at all," explains Dr. Lemert. "You have to take
> > part in the conversation to understand what is meant by such words."
> > ---
> >
> > (I've seen "strom" in lists of carny lingo defined as "the handle or pedal
> > that controls a rigged game." No idea about "gischray.")
> >
> > Jonathon Green's suggestion that the word comes from "scheme" seems
> > plausible.
> >
> > --bgz
> >
> > On Wed, Jun 10, 2026 at 9:42 AM Zeke Faux <zeke at zekefaux.com> wrote:
> >
> > > Hi everybody – I’m a writer and investigative reporter (author of a book on
> > > crypto and fraud called Number Go Up) and I am looking into the etymology
> > > of the word “scam” for a new book.
> > >
> > > Some sources (OED) cite a 1963 interview with Steve McQueen in Time
> > > Magazine as the first usage. He’s talking about when he was a carny, and he
> > > says, “It was a full scam. My boss was scammin’ from the public and I was
> > > scammin’ from him.” A few years later, the word appeared in the Wall Street
> > > Journal, and at that time, the writer explained that it was originally
> > > carny slang, but was now being applied to bankruptcy fraud.
> > >
> > > But Green’s has an entry from 1958, a use in a novel called Vice Trap
> > > that’s not in a carnival context. “He scammed me the stuff was yours.”
> > >
> > > There are also two early entries in Green’s for similar words. Neither
> > > comes from carnies:
> > > D. Runyon Runyon à la Carte 201: By this time I figure out what the scamus
> > > is. (1944)
> > > C. Stoker Thicker ’n Thieves 406: This obviously was newspaper ‘skam’
> > > designed to buttress the political fortunes of Mayor Bowron. (1951)
> > >
> > > I couldn’t find any references to “scam” in David Maurer’s books (my
> > > favorite con man reference), and my attempts to verify the carny origins in
> > > articles about carny slang have failed.
> > >
> > > Does anyone know where this word comes from, and if the carny story is
> > > true? Thank you, Zeke
> > >
> > >
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------
> > The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org