лохотрон

a mug's game BrE (= If something is a mug's game, it's something only a stupid person would do)

a mug ( someone who can be easily fooled into doing things he or she wouldn't normally do) — лох

a confidence game or con game (a dishonest scheme, such as one in which a victim is persuaded to entrust his valuables to the confidence man (one who defrauds people), who gives a false impression of safety ) Oxford American Dictionary

[scam]
fraud,
[развод на бабки]

[snake oil]