charlatan SHAR-luh-tn noun WS #8

a person who falsely claims to have special knowledge or skill; a fraud or quack; someone who pretends to be something they are not

1. The charlatan convinced many people to invest in his pyramid scheme.
2. The book warns readers about charlatans in the self-help industry.
3. History is full of charlatans who exploited people's fears and hopes.
4. The self-proclaimed healer was exposed as a charlatan when his miracle cures proved ineffective.
5. She suspected the investment advisor was a charlatan after hearing his too-good-to-be-true promises.