In this context, social engineering means to manipulate someone into doing what you want e.g. to type in login and password on a fake website so the scammer gets that information.

So, ‘social engineering’ is the methods used to trick people into doing what the scammers want.

It could be a phishing email asking you to urgently login in to your internet banking account or to call a support number as your computer has been infected with malware or a request from a company executive to urgently transfer money.

Generally, we prefer to trust people so if someone calls saying they are from your bank and they know your name and account – it’s easy to believe rather than to question everything. Maybe you answer their security questions and that gives them the details they need to access your account. It can be as simple and quick as that.

It may feel discourteous not to trust someone who’s called you, but scammers relay on this to get any with their crimes. If you are unsure then question and if appropriate end the call.

An Example Credit Card Payment Scam

A company selling telecom services receives an email from a possible new customer:

Hello,

This is Bill, I have just moved into the area and I need a new phone line.

Do you accept payment by credit card?

What information do you need in order to quote for the work?

Thanks

Bill

After a reply from the Telecoms Company confirming they do accept credit cards, , Bill’s next email sets up the conditions of the scam.

He claims he’s in hospital waiting on an operation.  Lots of description to make it clear he cannot take phone calls or speak to anyone and very much needs help. He describes what he wants fitted in each room and then describes the removal company that is helping him to move while he’s in hospital and they can let the telecoms company in to do a survey if needed.

The purpose of this is to set-up the Telecoms company to accept an over payment by credit card from Bill then pay the removals company, as they cannot accept credit card payment and Bill can’t pay them any other way while in hospital.

This story is complicated and relies on the kindness of the Telecoms company to take the money and pass it on but also on their desire for business.

The telecoms company agrees, takes the credit card payment and then pays the removals company as per the instructions.  For example taking £1,000 for their work up front and £2,000 to pay to the removals company.

It all sounds quite safe, but then comes the sting.

The card was stolen but not cancelled straightaway and when the credit card company do cancel it then will claim the £3,000 back from the Telecoms Company who will end up out of pocket for the work they’ve done but also for the £2,000 paid to the removals company which was also fake.

There are countless similar stories designed to get the punter to accept an over payment or to do something for the scammer.

The stories are sometimes rough and have spelling and grammatical mistakes – to elicit sympathy for the scammer and at other times the stories have been polished by repeated use.

NEVER accept an over payment.

Do you have an opinion on this matter? Please comment in the box below.

Almost everyone is used to getting scam calls, scam texts, scam emails and so on.

Most people know they need to be careful – don’t click links in unsolicited emails, don’t trust someone on the phone just because they say they work for your bank or your Internet provider or the government etc.

And generally, people recognise and delete scam messages, emails etc. without wasting time on them.

However, for some people, getting scam calls is a real problem as they don’t want to be rude to the nice person on the phone telling them they have a problem with their computer and offering to help, for example.

When it’s someone on your doorstep telling you there is a roof tile is missing and needs to be fixed, it can be even more difficult to tell them to go away.

You have to recognise that these people will say anything and do anything to steal your money and they don’t care what hardship they may cause you.

They don’t scam people because they cannot afford food – it’s because they want to cheat you or are just unwilling to work for a living.

Trying to reason with these people is generally a complete waste of time – they have decided to spend their time lying, cheating and stealing from people and don’t care about the consequences to their victims. So anything you say will be meaningless to them.

Your basic approaches are:

A. Just delete the messages or put down the phone

B. On a phone call tell the caller you know it’s a scam and end the conversation. With emails and text messages just delete them as responding to these just means you get registered on scam sucker lists and will get even more messages

or

C. Play along and waste the scammer’s time. It won’t stop them permanently but does stop them temporarily as they cannot scam someone else while on the line to you.

Playing along can just mean continuing to listen to the caller and perhaps asking questions, but not doing anything they say and not giving them any information about yourself.

But you can go a stage further and waste their time using any approach you choose, for example some people have used these ideas:

1. Act really interested. Jill says “I just tell them to just wait for a minute while you answer the door, put your phone down and just forget about it”
2. Try to sell them something imaginary – B.B. says “I pick whatever is to hand – once it was old clothes so I tried to sell her on heritage pre-worn clothing and another time I had just made some cakes, so I tried to sell the scammer boxes of those. Not for real of course – just to waste their time”
3. Pretty much keep saying “can you hold on a second?” And then put them on hold for five minutes. Get back on, say a few words, let them start talking, then say “oh dear, can you hang on again? Be right back” (ignore them saying “no, you can’t”, just pretend you didn’t hear them).
4. William says that he tries to convert the caller to the Church of the Astounding Philistinism and goes into long meaningless sermons
5. Francine says she starts telling the caller a sob story – usually one from some weepy movie she’s recently watched.

Have fun and waste their time.

If you have any experiences with these scams do let me know, by email.