Scams. They are a common unwelcomed phenomenon in everyday life presently. It seems like every other person is now a victim of one of the many forms of scams spreading around like wildfire today. These scams can range from phone calls, e-mails to even places like Facebook Marketplace.
Despite numerous precautions and preventive measures publicly making the rounds, people still end up falling victim to one scam or another. Maybe people simply believe that they wouldn’t fall for one (until they do) or that something like a scam won’t actually happen to them (until it does).
Indeed, scams won’t necessarily happen to you, but when it does happen, will you be able to tell and avoid losing all your hard-earned money? How do you tell if you’re being scammed?
Urgency and agency
Most scammers use fear to do most of their heavy work. By starting the call with urgency and agency i.e., posing as someone with authority, they instantly create the illusion that what they say must be true. Urgency can also be manufactured by the way they speak or the use of alarming sounds and tones if you’re being targeted by an automated scam call. It’s incredibly easy for victims to just surrender to the fear when scammers use these tricks, so it is important to always calmly listen and assess what is being said. What’s most important is to never lose your calm and divulge personal information simply out of fear.
Shady source
Scammers like to create a sense of agency to lull possible victims into their trap. As such, they would call or mail you from a seemingly “reliable” source in the form of a company email or a call from a well-known company. Normally, you wouldn’t bat an eyelash if you’re able to quickly determine the “reliability” of an email or call. This is what scammers are looking for. To avoid this, always double-check the source. For instance, receiving an official call via a phone number instead of a landline or receiving a mail or a link from a source that looks almost the same but is off by a letter or a number is always cause for suspicion. And if you have enough reason to suspect, you should never proceed until you can fully ascertain the legitimacy of the call, mail etc. These are quick methods to determine on the spot if you’re being targeted by a scammer.
Don’t be alone
A last tip for those who suspect they could be scammed and are not certain if they could handle the situation; company is important. Always make sure you have people around to provide a helping hand if needed, whether it be to double-check a fact, source or even provide advice should you need any on how to navigate the matter. You are more likely to be able to make a better judgment if you can bounce opinions off another person. Most importantly, you won’t be as susceptible to scare tactics if you are not alone.
Hartwick is a content writer under Headliner by Newswav, a programme where content creators get to tell their unique stories through articles and at the same time monetize their content within the Newswav app.
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