三个单词均有诈欺、哄骗的含义，且三者用法经常被混淆。其中，deceit多为一种可予起诉的民事侵权行为，指故意以虚假陈述或因无知传播虚假陈述使他方当事人相信，从而导致他方当事人遭受损失之违法行为，其应为“欺骗”[1]。deception本身虽然不是罪行，但却有多种罪行与之相关，如诈骗财产、保险单、年金合同，以诈骗行为获取报偿性工作，诈骗他人放弃债权或使自己免于债务等。它在英国法上指一种犯罪，指不诚实地获得他人财产，或利用语言或行为或意思表达以获得金钱上的好处，或故应译为“诈骗”[2]。fraud被译为“欺诈”，其涉及内容极广，多为民事侵权行为，但也可是犯罪[3]。指为获得物质利益而通过陈述或行为所作的虚假表示。在民法上，受欺诈 人可视其为不法侵权行为而提起损害赔偿之诉，注意的是一个以欺诈为由而提起的侵权之诉也可称为欺骗之诉（an action of deceit);在刑法上，欺诈是指蓄意的诈欺行为，为许多犯罪成立的要素[4]。
[1]“ A fraudulent and deceptive misrepresentation, artifice，or device, used by one or more persons to deceive and trick another, who is ignorant of the true facts, to the prejudice and damage of the party imposed upon. ”Cf. The Publisher's Editorial Staff, Black's Law Dictionary, abridged 6th edition, at p. 281，West Publishing Co. (1991).
[2] Cf. David M. Walker, The Oxford Companion to Law, at p. 245, Oxford University Press, New York (1980).
[3] "A knowing misrepresentation of the truth or concealment of a material fact to induce another to act to his or her detriment. Fraud is usu. a tort, but in some cases (esp. when the conduct is willful) it may be a crime. ”Cf. Bryan A. Gamer, Black's Law Dictionary, 7th edition, at p. 670, West Group (1999).