People who make money through swindling, fraud, or running confidence games on unsuspecting victims.
From 'grift' (American underworld slang from early 1900s) plus the agent suffix '-er.' The term became widespread in crime literature and journalism describing con artists.
Grifters are the subject of endless movies and TV shows because they represent something fascinating: intelligence and charm used deceptively, which is why we're simultaneously disgusted by them and oddly entertained.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.