kutapeli

How to say it

Meaning

To get money or property from people by tricks and lies, for example with false papers, fake offers or someone else’s name.

Good to know

Takes the victim as object: kumtapeli mtu, to con someone. A swindler is tapeli, plural matapeli, and the practice utapeli.

Examples

• Mtu mmoja alimtapeli bibi kwa kujifanya afisa wa benki.A man conned an old woman by posing as a bank officer.
• Jihadhari na watu wanaotapeli kupitia simu.Beware of people who swindle by phone.
• Walijaribu kututapeli kwa kutuuzia shamba lisilo lao.They tried to con us by selling us land that was not theirs.