Social Engineering on the Internet: How Scammers Manipulate Gullible Users

Scammers' stories often abound with false facts. But inexperienced youth and naive pensioners may believe even the most incredible fabrications. When actions are analyzed sometime later, there's an epiphany – how could one ever believe that?

Statistical data shows that fraud is growing at an alarming rate. People very often fall for various tricks – the creativity of deception knows no bounds – the invented stories and strategies of con artists sometimes amaze even the most prepared users with their unconventionality. Social engineering and internet scammers are improving every day and inventing new mechanisms to influence gullible participants.

Manipulations by Scammers on the Internet

A low level of financial literacy among the population completely frees the hands of swindlers. They take advantage of citizens' ignorance and intensify their efforts in implementing social engineering methods online.

Namely, in phone conversations:

1. use specific terminology, template words;
2. insist on the urgency of specific actions – create the illusion of immediate transaction execution;
3. threaten with fake criminal liability, account blockage, and arrest of financial balance;
4. apply emotional pressure;
5. neuro-linguistic programming techniques;
6. speech manipulations.

The slightest attempts to overcome risky and tense situations, which the affected person tries to undertake, are deftly devalued by scammers.

A common scammer manipulation is the situation where they persistently convince that transferring funds to another person's card resulted in the amount disappearing and not reaching the recipient. To avoid making the balance zero, swindlers recommend following their advice. They convince that calling the bank's support service will not solve the problem since specialists do not have the necessary tools, so the time spent contacting the bank will lead to a loss of funds. And they offer their action plan.

In the process of transferring funds, scammers ask the client to help participate in the strategy to catch a bank employee, allegedly responsible for compromising personal data, disabling SMS notifications, and resulting in an information leak and hence withdrawal of money from the account.

This situation allows for two main scenarios:

1. The first option applies if the victim has a high level of knowledge about electronic transactions. In this scenario, con artists inform that it is necessary to create an alternative account with the maximum level of protection, and for security reasons, all the money should be transferred there from the balance. Naturally, they specify the "required" account.
2. The second scenario is designed for less tech-savvy users who do not have technical possibilities – they are offered to make a transfer using a terminal or ATM.

In the phone conversation imposed by scammers, attention should be paid to the psychological signs of social engineering methods, actively used both online and during the conversation.

Social Engineering Methods

Scammers can be identified upon close attention, as a rule, their communication traits give them away.

Among the obvious signs of social engineering usage:

1. dialogue in the format of a "prompter";
2. copied expressions;
3. memorized phrases;
4. the position may change from a credit fund specialist to a law enforcement representative;
5. requests to help hunt down a criminal.

When the user does not wish to continue the dialogue or requests information about the interlocutor's details, the scammer reacts aggressively, and continues the conversation in an irritated mood, which is audible in the intonation.

Scammers can be identified by several signs:

1. speech;
2. unprofessional and illiterate speech;
3. low level of intellectual development;
4. threats;
5. blackmail.

Scammers often, out of desperation and lack of arguments to keep the client on the line, lose their temper and resort to shouting or even obscene language.

Types of Phone Scammer Manipulations and Online Attack Variants

The manner of structuring conversation has several standard schemes:

1. the image of an authoritative person;
2. situations with relatives or acquaintances in trouble, provoking an emotional surge;
3. the element of surprise, when a person is caught off guard;
4. indication of time limitation and urgency of making a financial decision;
5. the "either-or" trap, usually interpreted as: either transfer the required amount, or your son will be sentenced.

Regarding social attacks, several types are also common:

1. vishing and smishing – SMS or voice message requesting identity verification – following the link the client's account becomes "deactivated";
2. online bait – messages to email or phone about winning a lottery or offers to buy with a huge discount;
3. romantic scams – scammers use a fake identity to gain trust. Before implementing their financial depletion plan, fraudsters first establish a romantic relationship online to win over a potential victim.
4. spoofing – scammers forge the domain address of a legitimate company and act ostensibly on its behalf.

To counteract psychological influence, do not trust the received data and follow directive instructions.

It may even be pointless to try to outsmart a scammer – in many cases, it's futile. Far more effective is simply ending the conversation, instantly stopping the talk – and later contacting bank financial experts for reassurance.

How to Protect Yourself from Social Engineering

How can you reduce risks and avoid being deceived? Today, social engineering is active in all areas, how not to become a victim of scammers?

To protect yourself from fraudsters' attacks, follow these brief recommendations:

1. Time-out – a temporary pause is necessary when making financial decisions. It's worth stopping for an hour to think. Hasty decisions often lead to losses.
2. End the conversation if persistently urged to make a transaction.
3. Do not trust unique offers presented on the principle of "specially for you".
4. Careful analysis of investment proposals, even recommended by acquaintances, as they might also be mistaken.
5. When purchasing a service or product online at a favorable price, carefully check the domain address.

Handling emotions can often be challenging. But it's worth not reacting impulsively right away, giving yourself time to recognize psychological pressure, and then scammers, no matter how hard they try, will not catch you off guard.