Financial Wellness
How Scammers Manipulate Your Emotions
Are you getting an email, text, or DM making you feel as though you need to act fast or miss out on something big, or pay hefty consequences?
"You won our sweepstakes!"
"You're under arrest!"
"I've been recording you."
These messages can seem legitimate and trigger positive emotions, especially if there's a promise of a prize if you carry through with an action…
"You won an expensive cooler, but you have to respond fast to claim it!"
"An attractive stranger wants to be your friend and strike up a convo!"
"You're owed money from a forgotten invoice!"
On the other hand, they can present scary scenarios if you don't respond with urgency. For instance…
"You won our sweepstakes!"
"You're under arrest!"
"I've been recording you."
These messages can seem legitimate and trigger positive emotions, especially if there's a promise of a prize if you carry through with an action…
"You won an expensive cooler, but you have to respond fast to claim it!"
"An attractive stranger wants to be your friend and strike up a convo!"
"You're owed money from a forgotten invoice!"
On the other hand, they can present scary scenarios if you don't respond with urgency. For instance…
"You owe back taxes, and we're coming to collect unless you call!"
"I'm your boss and I'm texting you from an unknown number, but I need to know your bank account info ASAP!"
"You've been hacked, and you need to pay up."
All of these are common signs of scams and phishing. They are meant to lure you in by generating strong emotions that lead you to let your guard down.
If you receive an unexpected, urgent message prompting you to take immediate action, it's crucial to follow these steps to ensure you don't fall into the scammer's trap.
"I'm your boss and I'm texting you from an unknown number, but I need to know your bank account info ASAP!"
"You've been hacked, and you need to pay up."
All of these are common signs of scams and phishing. They are meant to lure you in by generating strong emotions that lead you to let your guard down.
If you receive an unexpected, urgent message prompting you to take immediate action, it's crucial to follow these steps to ensure you don't fall into the scammer's trap.
- Don't click any links, or any part of the email itself-don't even click "Unsubscribe."
- Report emails as phishing, if possible.
- Delete the email.
- Block the contact info.
Bonus Tip:
Multi-factor authentication is an effective way to prevent scammers from accessing your accounts and information. Use biometric tools (like face ID, fingerprint scans) if available for log-ins. Standalone MFA apps, such as Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator, and Duo, also offer strong encryption. If any form of MFA is available to secure your account, don't ignore it. Use it!
Don't respond to wrong numbers
Another common scam is bit more of a slower burn—it often starts with a "mistaken text" from a number you don't recognize:- "Hey how r u"
- "Do you have any dentist recommendations?"
- "It was wonderful running into you last night"
Don't respond to these messages at all. Don't even text back "wrong number." Block and report it. It's not rude, and if someone really did text you by accident, they'll figure it out.
Resources: StaySafeOnline, The National Cyber Security Alliance
