One reason scammers are so effective is that they are skilled at getting their victims to trust them and fall for their scams. However, consumers who know the signs of a scam are better prepared to resist. When you understand how con artists work you will be able to nip a con in the bud.
Scammers play a part to win you over and represent themselves as someone who can be trusted. That includes the way they dress. Frank Abagnale, whose story was told in Catch Me if You Can, bought a pilot’s uniform at age 17 and wore it when passing bad checks at hotels, banks and other businesses. “Airline pilots are men to be admired and respected. Men to be trusted. Men of means. And you don’t expect an airline pilot to be a local resident. Or a check swindler.”
Appearance is important when scammers deal with their victims in person, but even when they seek victims online or over the telephone, they will use authority symbols. They may claim to be with a government agency or use trusted logos in their emails.
The best scammers are good listeners. They get their victims talking and answering questions, not thinking and asking questions. They also remember and use the victim’s name—often.
Dr. Paul Breen analyzed recordings of actual scam calls and identified six ways scammers trick their victims.
- They seem to know you. They will use information they got from social media (or that you revealed to them) to make it sound like they know you and they know what they are talking about.
- They apologize for taking up your time in order to make you feel sympathy toward them.
- They will take their time to build up authority and make themselves appear legitimate.
- They pretend to be someone in authority, such as a police officer.
- They turn any skepticism into an advantage by welcoming it and acknowledging your concerns about being security conscious.
- They will increase the sense of urgency to get you to commit.
Many scam victims heard the little voice in their heads warning them that something wasn’t right, but they ignored it. Psychologist Maria Konnikova suggests you think about what you would tell a friend who asked you about the “offer” you are considering. “If John came up to me and said, ‘Oh, this has happened, it’s so exciting,’ what would you say to John? Would you say, ‘Oh my God, I’m so excited this has happened for you, this is amazing,’ or would you say, ‘Um, I see a few problems with this, I see a few red flags, maybe you need to take a step back, maybe you want to reconsider.’
