We analyze together the methods used by scammers to manipulate the consciousness of potential victims:
- They often create the illusion of lack of time, forcing the victim to make decisions quickly, without much thought, or act impulsively without verifying the reliability of information.
- Fear is one of the most powerful tools. They intimidate the victim with messages that their data has been stolen, money is missing from the bank account, or that the account will be blocked... When a person is in a state of fear, his ability to think rationally decreases, and he quickly agrees to the offers of a fraudster.
- The crowd effect - the technique is based on the idea that if many people act in a certain way, then it must be right. Scammers can refer to false reviews or ratings, fake success stories of users to create the appearance of trust and popularity of their offers. People tend to follow the majority, especially if it seems reliable.
- Authority - they are often represented by employees of banks and government agencies. The use of authoritative names and names inspires trust and submission. A person may not want to contradict a "representative of authority" or an "expert" for fear of consequences.
- Blurring of attention - a person is given too much information or tasks at the same time, his attention and concentration weaken. Intentionally overload the victim with technical terms, instructions, or long contracts, knowing that in such a state a person is more likely to sign something or perform unnecessary actions.
- Playing on feelings - compassion, love, loneliness. It is especially often used in online dating scams. Scammers can pose as people looking for love, causing the victim to have strong emotions — sympathy, sympathy or a feeling of loneliness. In such cases, the victim may become more vulnerable to requests for money or personal help.
Head of the psychological service of KarIU Yaruta A.V.