Ripoff
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A ripoff (or rip-off) is a bad deal. Usually it refers to an incident in which a person pays too much for something. A ripoff is distinguished from a scam in that a scam involves wrongdoing such as fraud; a ripoff, on the other hand, is in the eye of the beholder. A scam might involve, for instance, a scheme in which a person pays $20 for a startup kit related to stuffing envelopes for a living, but the kit never arrives; upon receiving the money, the recipient flees. A ripoff, on the other hand, might be a business opportunity in which a person pays $375 for bulk vending machines worth $75. The fact that the advertised product actually arrives – even though it is worth far less than the purchase price – makes it a ripoff, not a scam.
In a related meaning, a ripoff is a blatant or unscrupulous copy or imitation. This is also known as a knockoff. In both senses there is an associated verb "to rip off", but the location of the preposition differs between the two meanings:
- That bulk vending machine salesman ripped Joe off.
- That electronic dog manufacturer ripped off Aibo.
[edit] Legalised Rip Offs
A legalised Rip Off is a bad deal usually from a state-run, council or government department, but it may also refer to a bad deal as a result of bad legislation, government planning or interpretation.
The origin is from the late 1960's drug culture, where a marijuana drug seller would put a small amount of the drug in one corner of a paper wrapped kilo (a.k.a. key,brick) of a non-marijuana look alike. Then to an unsuspecting buyer rip open that corner to prove the quality, thus the term ripoff artist, and from there the general term of being or getting ripped off.
Speed Camera Scams
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