bunco-steerer
An old American slang term for the person in a con operation who lures the mark — the one who 'steers' an unsuspecting victim toward the bunco game or scam.
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Born ~1870 · no dated citations yetDefinitions
An old American slang term for the person in a con operation who lures the mark — the one who 'steers' an unsuspecting victim toward the bunco game or scam. The bunco steerer is the front-of-house operator: charming, plausible, and good at sizing up targets. While the term is historical (most common in the late 19th and early 20th centuries), it remains vivid and useful as shorthand for anyone who sets up a con by directing victims to the right place at the right time.
The old man had worked as a bunco-steerer for a traveling card sharp before retiring to run a legitimate hardware store.
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(US, slang) A swindler; a cheat or con-man.
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(US, slang) A swindle or confidence trick.
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(transitive, intransitive, US, slang) To swindle (someone).
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