[Ads-l] Scam etymology

[Emily Gordon]

I have always wondered about this: in 1989–90, I went to a private boarding
school in Massachusetts. A slang term for hooking up/making out was “scam,”
as in, “I met up with Pete in the woods last night and we scammed!” Or “So
how was the dance? Did you scam?”

On Wed, Jun 10, 2026 at 5:30 PM ADSGarson O'Toole <
00001aa1be50b751-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu> wrote:

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

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