Buncos

/ˈbʌŋkoʊz/ noun

Definition

Plural of bunco: multiple confidence games or swindles.

Etymology

The plural of bunco, the 1870s confidence game. The word itself may relate to Spanish 'banco' or Italian gaming terms, but its American usage proliferated with the prevalence of the scam in frontier towns.

Kelly Says

Buncos were so organized that professional criminals formed 'bunco steerer' gangs with specific roles—each person had a job, like a theatrical production designed to fleece victims.

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