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Every day someone out there gets taken by a job scam. You might think it could never happen to you, but don’t get too complacent. Scammers are becoming increasingly sophisticated, and their scams are becoming harder to spot.
Jan 23, 2024 · First and foremost, vigilance is key. Scammers often thrive in the shadows, capitalising on our complacency. By being attentive, aware and proactive, we can avoid falling into their traps.
- You Scratch My Back…
- Like Lemmings Off A Cliff
- Little Steps
- Fomo
- They Seemed So Nice
Beware the principle of reciprocity. If someone does something for us, we feel more obliged to do something for them. Scammers use this type of “enforced indebtedness” to elicit an unwise action from their target. For example, someone offering you an exclusive opportunity to invest your money can be seen to be doing you a favour. That in turn makes...
Research shows that if a person believes other people are doing something, then they feel it must be okay for them to do it too. This is especially true when individuals find themselves in a pressured and ambiguous situation – such as a sales pitch. If a person on the other end of the phone tells us that 75% of people like us have signed up to this...
People like to think of themselves as being consistent and committed individuals. If we say we are going to do something, then generally we will, as failure to do so may dent our sometimes fragile self-esteem. Fraudsters take advantage of this by getting us to commit to little steps that then escalate in nature. For example, by simply getting peopl...
People are generally worried about missing out on an opportunity, perhaps for “the next big thing”. And if such an “offer” is for a limited time only, then the principle of scarcitysuggests that people are more likely to be drawn to it. When our freedom to be able to do something is threatened, we tend to react quickly to ensure that we don’t miss ...
The principle of similaritysuggests that we tend to like people who seem to be the same as us, and, in turn, we are much more likely to agree to a request from someone we like. Similarity can be as broad as an interest in financial investments or as fleeting as sharing some personal characteristics. Scammers take advantage of this and try to find o...
- Paul Seager
May 12, 2023 · A confident assertion is an awesome way to respond to a scammer. It shows that you are too smart to be fooled by their lies and deception.Hence, you are aware of their scams and cautious when dealing with unsolicited offers or requests. 'I'm Not Interested In Your Offer, And I'm Definitely Not Going To Send You Money. Goodbye.'
May 26, 2023 · Scams are getting smarter. Some scam attempts hit your inbox cluttered with spelling errors, fake logos and dodgy-looking email addresses. Or perhaps you’ve received an alert from a bank you...
Feb 21, 2024 · The call won’t come from a number in your contacts or one you recognise, but the scammer may pretend to be someone you’ve engaged to work on your house, or perhaps one of your children using a...
People also ask
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In our scam-ridden world, the seemingly trustworthy friend, family member or business on the other end could always turn out to be a scammer. As the ACCC spokesperson warns, "the reality is that anyone can be scammed".
