As a fraud awareness educator, I frequently hear a question: “How can intelligent people fall for what are clearly scams?” Simple question; complex response. To answer it, we need to understand two factors: the nature of the victims and the tactics used by the criminals. We also need to accept a fundamental reality: the criminals are professionals; we are amateurs.
One often-heard comment: “I’m too smart to be scammed!” Victimization is not a matter of logic, reason, common sense, education, or intelligence. If it was, most scams would fail and criminals would be out of business. If it was, the following people would not have been victims of fraud: Robert DeNiro (fine arts scams), Tiger Woods (identity theft), Billy Joel (family member), Kevin Bacon and Steven Speilberg (investment scams). I’m too smart to be scammed??
Victimization results from social engineering, getting you to do something that you would not normally do. Why else would normally rational people give thousands (millions) of dollars to a complete stranger or casual acquaintance? Social engineering is manipulation by keying in on some basic human behaviors and emotions: fear, love, hatred, greed, and trust. The manipulation varies with the intended victim. While the belief that a child or grandchild is in peril will motivate some to respond, for others, it has no impact. Those who regularly shop online may be concerned about notice of an unpaid Amazon or PayPal bill; that threat is meaningless to others.
An attempted scam will not work on everyone but can be successful when attempted with the right person at the right time. For example, a romance scam attempt is worthless if the intended victim is happily married or involved in a successful relationship. However, if that person has suffered a recent loss or is seeking a relationship (frequenting dating websites?), we have the right time, right person.
One more generality; it is normal for a victim to feel singled out and approached as an individual. After all, the contact was direct and personal. For the criminal, the experience is nothing special; the intended victim just one more in a long series of attempts that will be repeated with others throughout the day. He or she knows the scam will not play out with all potential victims; the key is identifying an acceptable rate of success which, if not achieved, causes the criminal to move to something else.
Staying out of the traps that are set is not a simple task. There are multiple lines of attack, and knowing yourself is the first line of self-defense. Are you a “risk taker”? Do you enjoy gambling? Is family loyalty paramount? Do you want to get “things” free of charge? If you know yourself, you are halfway to reducing the risk of victimization.
Recognize that the key to your success in defeating the scammers lies in controlling emotions and altering behavior; two difficult, maybe impossible tasks. One approach is to use Post-it reminders near the phone or computer: Think! Scam? Slow down! Take a deep breath! Stay calm and carry on! Read others into any defensive plans. Going it alone is risky; a team approach expands your options and opportunities.
Finally, don’t shame victims! Saying “You should have known better!” or “How could you have fallen for that? or “Even my 14-year-old granddaughter would have figured it out” accomplishes nothing and ends up blaming the victim, not the skilled professional criminal.
Whether by phone, computer, or in person, fraud and scams are on the rise. Fraud Watch can help raise awareness. Contact Laura McDonough, AARP Vermont associate director for communications, 802-238-4963 to schedule a presentation in your community or for your organization.
Comments? Questions? Contact me – egreenblott@aarp.org
Be well; Be Safe!
Elliott Greenblott is a retired educator and coordinator of the AARP Vermont Fraud Watch Network.
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