Synopsis

of the most damaging and costly scams involve what’s known as “social engineering.” That’s when fraudsters use time-tested techniques of deception and emotional manipulation, tricking people into divulging personal or financial information, or even granting remote access to their computers.

Cybercrime is on the rise, but even the best antivirus software can’t thwart scammers who target the human psyche.

Some of the most damaging and costly scams involve what’s known as “social engineering.” That’s when fraudsters use time-tested techniques of deception and emotional manipulation, tricking people into divulging personal or financial information, or even granting remote access to their computers.

This is what happened to Barry Heitin, a 76-year-old retired lawyer who lost roughly $740,000 to sophisticated swindlers impersonating bank and government officials.

People of all ages and socioeconomic levels are potential targets, but older Americans are particularly vulnerable. They’re more likely to have amassed savings, and they’re perceived to be more isolated or perhaps less computer savvy.

There are also more entry points for scammers now — in our text messages, social media, dating sites or online groups. That silly personality quiz you just whizzed through on Facebook? It might have been created by fraudsters phishing for personal details.

“What is changing is the criminals’ ability to connect with us, and that’s because of the device we carry with us 24/7,” said Amy Nofziger, director of fraud victim support at AARP Fraud Watch Network. “A day doesn’t go by where we don’t have a million-dollar loss.”

Nobody ever expects to be the victim, but criminals are constantly fine-tuning their techniques and operating from well-worn playbooks.

Here are tips on how to avoid some of the most devastating schemes and what to do if you or someone you care about becomes ensnared.

Avoiding Scams

People may be susceptible to scams because of their life stage or circumstances. Young college graduates may be targeted by promising job offers. People buying homes are being tricked into wiring money to scammers. Older people tend to fall into schemes involving fraudsters who claim to be a government official or someone offering tech support. And people of all ages are lured into frauds promising lucrative investment returns, often in cryptocurrency.

To stay informed, familiarize yourself with the most common scams circulating. The Federal Trade Commission sends consumer alerts, and the FBI, which issues public service announcements on the latest schemes, will soon offer an option to subscribe to email updates.

Check your emotions. Criminals appeal to our lizard brains and often combine those emotional appeals with a false sense of urgency.

“I am a sophisticated person and aware of these scams, but when I heard the words ‘We are going to kill your daughter,’ all sense nearly went out the window,” said the Rev. Debra Andrew Maconaughey, rector of St. Columba Episcopal Church in Marathon, Florida, who was targeted last month by criminals demanding money.

A retired corporate executive who lost $100,000 in a romance scam said that, in hindsight, he realized he was hooked through an “intoxicating combination” of emotions at a vulnerable moment. He was extremely lonely when an attractive banker who called herself Alice contacted him on Facebook.

After winning his trust, Alice suggested that he trade into bitcoin, “investing” money incrementally. But when he went to withdraw his fictitious winnings from what he later realized was a phony trading app, the platform told him that his account was frozen because of potential money laundering — and that he would have to pay to release it. When he told the trading app that he would contact the FBI, Alice vanished.

“I would say it was greed,” he concluded. “Never get lonely with a woman on Facebook.”

Read more at:
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/technology/how-to-avoid-online-scams-and-what-to-do-if-you-become-a-victim/articleshow/112617377.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst