pretexting

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pretexting

Pretending to be someone else in order to obtain information, typically over the phone. See social engineering.

References in classic literature ?

Lubomirski, Bronnitski, Wlocki, and the others of that group stirred up so much trouble that Barclay, under pretext of sending papers to the Emperor, dispatched these Polish adjutants general to Petersburg and plunged into an open struggle with Bennigsen and the Tsarevich.

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My first pretext for invading the sanctum was to bring Arthur a little waddling puppy of which Sancho was the father, and which delighted the child beyond expression, and, consequently, could not fail to please his mamma.

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d'Allemagne," says the pretext was to indemnify himself for the expense of the expedition.

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He would have made war even for that honor; the cardinal, assured of governing alone, under the double pretext of having brought up the king and given his niece to him in marriage -- the cardinal would have fought all antagonists, overcome all obstacles.

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Yes, it must have undoubtedly been only a pretext for now, when he could plead the same reason, as you are my father's prisoner again, he does not care any longer for you; quite the contrary, -- I heard him say to my father only yesterday that he did not know you.

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To restrain the Venetians the union of all the others was necessary, as it was for the defence of Ferrara; and to keep down the Pope they made use of the barons of Rome, who, being divided into two factions, Orsini and Colonnesi, had always a pretext for disorder, and, standing with arms in their hands under the eyes of the Pontiff, kept the pontificate weak and powerless.

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Poyser on his arm; and last of all Bartle Massey, with Lisbeth--Lisbeth in a new gown and bonnet, too busy with her pride in her son and her delight in possessing the one daughter she had desired to devise a single pretext for complaint.

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at 842 (holding that pretext stops violate Washington's constitution).

Pretext searches and seizures: in search of solid ground

Summary: Israeli army units Wednesday crossed the technical fence in the border village of Aitaroun, under the pretext of clearing mines in the area, the National News Agency reported.

Israel crosses technical fence to clear mines

CAIRO * The head of tens of thousands of Coptic Catholics reiterated his church's refusal of outside intervention in Egypt, even that offered under the pretext of "protecting Christians.

Patriarch rejects intervention

President Obama's recent statement about a chemical weapons "red line" is just the West's pretext for intervention, Syria's Deputy PM has said, also stating that Bashar Assad's resignation is open to discussion.

"West's Chemical Weapons Talk Just Pretext for Intervention" Says Syrian Deputy PM Jamil

NNA - 24/01/2012 - Member of Parliament Akram Shouhayib expressed wonder on Tuesday how the Syrian regime allows itself to tamper with iter-Lebanese affairs and has its Syrian Ambassador preach Lebanese officials on the concepts of justice and balance, under the pretext of "special Lebanese-Syrian relations.

Politics - Syrian regime allows itself to intervene in Lebanese affairs, says Shouhayib