Entrapment

Entrapment is inducement^[1] to commit a crime, especially by authorities, to get a conviction.^[2] The implication is that the person might otherwise have been unlikely to commit the crime. In some countries, entrapment is a possible defense against criminal liability.

Another similar term is agent provocateur, an older French term for the person who does the inducing.

A sting operation is a more sophisticated way to trap criminals. It usually involves leaving a bait, and filming or catching whoever takes the bait.

1. ↑ Inducement: trap or trick or persuade or offer help
2. ↑ Concise Oxford Dictionary p451.