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Situation (imaginary and hyperbolic to establish the point)

There are two types of candies available in a shop. Type one is sweet and savory, but type two is infested with a serious bacteria, but coloured nicely.

People also buy candy type #2, for whatever reason.

I go to the shop. I am not allowed to enter. Other people are allowed to enter. Eventually, candy type #1 is fully sold out.

At this point I am suddenly welcomed with a lot of gusto. I see that only candy type #2 is available.

The shopkeeper asks "Do you have a candy?".

I say, "Nah, I was not allowed to enter the shop".

They answer, "Never mind, look, we are offering candy type #2. You can have them all. You are the only one we will sale candy #2"

Question

Is there a single word that specifically describes the mal-intent of trying to sell candy type #2, knowing that it has the bacterial infection?

I would prefer a single word, if not possible then a phrase is okay. If there is a figure of speech or an idiom to this effect, I'd be very interested in knowing that.

If a word describing the intent is not possible (or in any case) is there a word that describes the bad-deal disguised as a great reward?

Attempt to Solve

"Mal-intent" as a word is too generic. I am seeking a word that describes mal-intent of pushing a bad deal.

"Platitude" covers the empty words that could be used to push such a deal, but it does not necessarily imply that the deal is seriously bad.

"Bad deal" again is too direct.

Part of speech

I expect this to be a noun, but I am not setting a requirement. I am still learning.

Application

"I am tired of your _________________. "

The answer goes in the blank.

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  • The example used is confusingly overelaborate. The presence of the first kind of candy is irrelevant to the question, as is not being allowed to enter the shop.
    – jsw29
    Commented Sep 16, 2022 at 16:28
  • What is the bigger motive for the bad deal giver in your example? Profiteering? Harming the receiver? Or both?
    – banuyayi
    Commented Sep 16, 2022 at 18:04
  • @banuyayi: Profiteering by selling the leftover, even if that harms the receiver - potentially by artificially making grandiose advertisements about the leftovers.
    – Sean
    Commented Sep 17, 2022 at 20:01

3 Answers 3

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The verb foist according to Merriam-Webster means "to offer (something fake, useless, or inferior) as genuine, useful, or valuable".

They give an example:

shopkeepers who foist shoddy souvenirs on unsuspecting tourists

You could use the verbal noun foisting.

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  • This sounds like a good choice
    – Sean
    Commented Sep 14, 2022 at 17:31
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I believe the phrasal verb palm off is the closest it gets.

to get rid of someone or something that you do not want, by persuading someone else to take or buy them from you - Macmillan

A noun won't be as precise in my opinion and you've mentioned that it doesn't have to be a noun. You could possibly use it as a verbal noun like "your palming off" but it is not a common usage; so it is better to rephrase your sentence to use "palm off" as a phrasal verb. The closest noun that came to my mind was sham but it might be still too general; as it means a fake, an imitation or trickery.

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  • Agreed. I could not find it in my own mental recesses.
    – Anton
    Commented Sep 15, 2022 at 23:04
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Deceit just means lying in general but could certainly apply to making a deal that you know is bad.

Fraud is the crime of making a deal that you know is bad.

I'm not sure how accurate your example is; these words don't feel strong enough for intentionally keeping somebody out so you can sell them poisoned candy. That's an assassination attempt!

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  • replace candy with a job opportunity, a promotion opportunity, or an opportunity to, pick a topic in a team project, or something like that. It happens in several places
    – Sean
    Commented Sep 14, 2022 at 1:07

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