Many people think digital fraud is about technology. But often it is about people - and about making you stand alone.
Scammers want to keep you to themselves
Many forms of fraud rely on the same trick: getting you not to talk to others.
The scammer may say to you:
- •"You must not tell anyone"
- •"Others will not understand"
- •"This is just between us"
Or the scammer may create so much urgency that you do not have time to call family or friends.
That is not accidental. The less you talk to others, the easier it is for a scammer to manipulate you. When we are alone with a difficult decision, we listen more to urgency and less to our gut feeling. Scammers know that.
One conversation can stop the fraud
Often it is only when we say things out loud that we can hear how strange they sound.
When you say the sentence out loud to someone else, it becomes easier to feel that something is not right. A friend, neighbour or family member may also see something you cannot see yourself. It is no coincidence that scammers work hard to avoid exactly that.
You do not have to be sure
Maybe you wait to say something to someone you know because you do not want to seem suspicious or make a big deal out of it.
But you do not have to know whether it is fraud. It is completely okay to say:
That is why we have each other.
If you are in doubt
- •Take a break
- •Call someone you trust
- •Talk about it
It is one of the best ways to protect yourself.