Verb

Infinitive to defraud

Third person singular defrauds

Simple past defrauded

Past participle defrauded

Present participle defrauding

to defraud (third-person singular simple present defrauds, present participle defrauding, simple past and past participle defrauded)

1. To obtain money or property by fraud; to swindle

In the broadest sense, a fraud is an intentional deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual. The specific legal definition varies by legal jurisdiction. Fraud is a crime, and is also a civil law violation. Many hoaxes are fraudulent, although those not made for personal gain are not technically frauds. Defrauding people of money is presumably the most common type of fraud, but there have also been many fraudulent "discoveries" in art, archaeology, and science.

Definition

Fraud as a criminal act, generally

In criminal law, fraud is the crime or offense of deliberately deceiving another in order to damage them – usually, to obtain property or services unjustly. [5] Fraud can be accomplished through the aid of forged objects. In the criminal law of common law jurisdictions it may be called "theft by deception," "larceny by trick," "larceny by fraud and deception," or something similar.