Evening! How are you?
I’ve been looking into the verb plus preposition ‘to tamper with’ and it’s not an easy one. To make secret, ilegal arrangements with somebody as by bribing, is one of the definitions. And the example is this: If you try to tamper with John except through me, then deal is automatically off and you’re out.
Well, what I get from this situation is, for example, that a person can contact John trying to make some profits by doing something illegal without counting on the person that’s speaking. Would this be plausible?

I’m gonna grab a bite and call it a day.
Thank you very much folks

Cheers!

Question

Evening! How are you? 
I’ve been looking into the verb plus preposition ‘to tamper with’ and it’s not an easy one. To make secret, ilegal arrangements with somebody as by bribing, is one of the definitions. And the example is this: If you try to tamper with John except through me, then deal is automatically off and you’re out. 
Well, what I get from this situation is, for example, that a person can contact John trying to make some profits by doing something illegal without counting on the person that’s speaking. Would this be plausible?

I’m gonna grab a bite and call it a day.
Thank you very much folks

Cheers!

Answer

Hi Oscar.

It depends on the context of the passage or the story that is being told. It could mean doing something illegal or it could mean to mess with or get involved with.

From this sentence I would assume they are warning the person not to get involved or communicate with the person named John directly and to only communicate or make plans through him. What they are doing may very well be something illegal but it doesn't necessarily have to be.

Hope that makes sense.

Answer

I think by far the most common use I've heard is tampering with evidence... like a corrupt police officer or something like that. Second place would be sabotage... like doing something to an opponent's racing car, or whatever, so you win, or in a crime show it might be disconnecting a car's brakes so it crashes.
Tampering with a person sounds strange to me... maybe tampering with a witness? I'm still not sure...but tampering with John sounds very odd

Answer

Olé! Eso es muy interesante también! Gracias, Ian :) 
De verdad que no sé porque me está costando tanto. En los descansos voy releyendo las respuestas de los compañeros y me va entrando. 
Me voy haciendo mayor! ;)

Gracias!!

Answer

Hey Oscar,
I will add that "to tamper with" is often used when talking about poison in food or medicine.
There are sometimes stories in the news that say "The medicine was tampered with..." or "The food was tampered with..."
En este caso, están diciendo que se puso veneno en la medicina o en la comida.

Answer

Brilliant, Michael! Thanks for taking the time. 
So, 'rigging something'... 'Tampering with the odds.' 
That helps a lot :) I can't check out the Cambridge Dictionary right now, I'm on my way to work, but I'll do it in a break. Of course! And I'll have to reread your answer too. This is a tough bast**  or I am getting too old ;)

Have a good one! 
All the best!