In every attempted scam, deception is the key attribute. Fraudsters employ tactics to make individuals feel comfortable, feel the need to disclose information or take some sort of action.
Playing on emotions is used in almost every scam and is another key element that helps in the deception process. Fraudsters rely on human emotions because they are very powerful. Fraudsters use social engineering - a concept that uses psychological manipulation to get people to do things or give out confidential information.
In normal situations, people will make logical choices but when emotions enter the picture, the decision making process can change considerably.
Here are four basic emotional triggers fraudsters try to use against us:
- Excitement – Creating a sense of happiness or euphoria can make us feel like this is an incredibly good opportunity, something we can’t pass up.
- Fear – Fear is a strong emotion and if a person feels fear, they may panic and rush a decision without thinking through all the possible impacts.
- Stress – Adding to fear, a scammer may want to increase the amount of stress on a person by creating short time limits on decisions and not giving you the chance to think twice.
- Embarrassment – No one wants to look bad, so a fraudster may tell you how embarrassing it may be if you discuss the situation with anyone thus reducing the chance you will seek out advice.
If a fraudster can trigger emotions, there is a higher chance that our decision-making process becomes much more clouded, making us much more susceptible to their tactics. This gives them the edge they want.
Fraudsters use some key tactics to trigger these emotional responses. The most common things they do are:
- Make it seem too good to be true: You may receive an email, text or phone call offering you a prize and an incredible deal that seems to be the best you have ever seen and can’t be missed. This can cloud a person’s judgment leading to a rush decision to take advantage of the amazing offer.
- Create a sense of urgency: A fraudster will want you to make a decision quickly. They can use stories such as a family member is in trouble and needs immediate help, or you may receive a huge bill or fine if you don’t act now. The fraudster wants you to be scared and act without thinking.
- Raise the importance: A fraudster will try to convince a person that what they are talking about is highly important, very sensitive or confidential, therefore raises the stakes for the victim. They will want you to think you are the only one who can deal with this situation but you need to do it now.
- Issue threats: Something commonly used in fraud is a threat to increase the pressure you are already facing. Examples can include threatening legal action or arrest, disclosing embarrassing photos or information, or cancellation of services.
- Ask you to keep it private: You may be told that you should not tell anyone or discuss with family members because it may put you in more risk or be extremely embarrassing. Doing this puts added pressure on the victim and it helps the fraudster because the victim will not ask someone else for their opinion.
- Appeal to a sense of duty or guilt: A fraudster may say things like “I can rely on you” or “you are the only one who can help” to make you feel you have to do it for the sake of others.
All of these tactics are intended to exploit people and get them to make emotional decisions rather than logical ones.
So what can you do? How can you protect yourself? The most important thing is to recognize when your emotions are being triggered. Always keep a few important tips in mind:
- Trust your instincts – If you feel uncomfortable or if it seems too good to be true, stop any interaction
- Never make a rush decision in the heat of the moment
- Ask for proof of who this person or organization is – don’t take their word for it
- Never give out personal information until you are sure you know who you are dealing with
- Be highly suspicious if asked for an immediate decision or unusual payment types (e.g.:, gift cards, cryptocurrency)
- Always ask family or friends for advice
To learn more about fraud and how you can prevent it, we encourage you to read our other articles for more in depth information.
- How to identify fraud
- What does fraud look like
- Do you suspect fraud? What to do next
- The grandparents scam
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