September 1993 Fraud Terminology Topics
Blow the Whistle, Blow the Lid Off, Bug Letter,
Suck the Mop, Hod, Floorman, Pitch-getter,
Nobble, Floating One, Stringer, Cryptography,
French Roundoff, False Token, Turned Over,
Mooch Manna, Long Firm, and Debtor's Colic.
 

Debtors feign illnesses to avoid talking with creditors.
 

Fraud In Other Words™
Professional Jargon and Uncensored Street Slang
by Larry C. Adams, CFE, CPA, CIA, CISA

 

Bug Letter
A form letter. This phrase may have originated in the 1930’s when a man wrote to a U.S. railroad company to complain about having suffered the insect life of their sleeping cars. The man received a very polite written apology, with a promise to look into the matter. However, the effect was spoiled by someone’s failure to erase the railroad management’s penciled instruction - “Send this guy the usual bug letter.”

 

Blow the Whistle
To relay information, usually to authorities, about some illegal or secret activities. To blow the referee’s whistle and stop the game. To grass on. To inform on.

 

Blow the Lid Off
To divulge something to the public, usually in a more spectacular way than by mere leakage.

 

Suck the Mop
To be left sucking the mop is to be left helpless and hopeless. The victim of any trick. To be left at a complete disadvantage.

 

False Token
In criminal law, a false document or sign of the existence of a fact, in general, used for the purpose of fraud. A device used to obtain money by false pretenses.

 

Nobble
To tamper with, or attempt to bribe, a person on a jury. Jury tampering.









 

Floating One
Passing a worthless check or arranging a loan without definite security.

 

Stringer
A reporter who is paid only for what is published. A pieceworker.

 

Turned Over
To be stopped by the police and searched. A house search. A search of one’s prison cell or belongings. To cross-question or examine severely.







 

Cryptography
The science of concealed and secret writing. The study of algorithms used to encipher and encrypt data.

 

French Roundoff
Computer fraud in which all interest income amounts less than half a cent are systematically credited to the perpetrator’s account.

 

Mooch Manna
A rich businessman who is too proud to admit that he has been victimized by share-pushers of worthless stock or merchandise.

 

Debtor’s Colic
Any feigned illness whereby a man can get into a hospital or remain sick in his cell, in order to avoid meeting his creditors.





 

Long Firm
A swindling group of phantom capitalists. A type of fraud where a great deal of merchandise is ordered on credit through legitimate channels and then sold at “knock-down” prices. Suppliers are not paid and the fraudsters abscond.

 

Hod
A bookmaker’s money bag.

 

Floorman (Pitch-getter)
An assistant at a rigged auction who entices crowds into the auction room.

 

Larry C. Adams, CFE, CPA, CIA, CISA, teaches fraud examination, criminology and ethics at the Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Arizona. He publishes the book and online editions of “Fraud In Other Words.” His Web site is www.larry-adams.com. His e-mail address is fraudwritr@aol.com.

 

ã Copyright 2003 Larry C. Adams. All rights reserved.
“Fraud In Other Words” is a trademark of Larry C. Adams.

 

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