Ripoff

A ripoff (or rip-off) is a bad financial transaction. Usually it refers to an incident in which a person is overcharged for something, or receives goods or services not of the standard expected for the price. A ripoff is usually distinguished from a scam in that a scam involves wrongdoing such as a fraud; a ripoff may be considered excessive, but not illegal.

For other uses, see rip off (disambiguation).

Alternative uses
Love ripoff

In a related meaning, a ripoff is an obviously blatant or unscrupulous copy or fake imitation. This is also known as a knockoff. One example is the 1988 movie Mac and Me, widely seen as a ripoff of Steven Spielberg's E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.

In South Africa 'ripping off' can be making a joke of something that a person does on a regular basis; see running gag. Another related term is "ripping on" or to "rip on" something; used to describe humorous verbal abuse directed towards a person, thing or concept. Ripping on something is typically light-hearted, but can also be cruel in nature just like any type of putdown.

In musical terminology, 'ripping off' is a light form of plagiarism, as in 'borrowing' an established riff, phrase or idea from a musician or song. When musicians use the term among themselves, they are referring to the context of 'quoting' their influences and incorporating the licks into their personal style.

See also

References
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