In a growing trend of emotional manipulation, scammers are leveraging psychological tactics to defraud individuals, leaving victims financially devastated and emotionally shaken. Experts warn that the methods employed by these criminals, often referred to as “the ether,” are becoming increasingly sophisticated, targeting a wide demographic regardless of age or education.
Judith Boivin, an 80-year-old victim, recounted her experience with a scammer posing as an FBI agent. Over three months, he called her twice daily, gaining her trust by engaging in personal conversations. He learned about her life, her family, and her husband’s struggle with Parkinson’s disease, creating a relationship that felt genuine. “I was respectful of him, and he seemed to be respectful of me,” she said.
However, these interactions were calculated, designed to elicit emotional vulnerability. Fraud prevention experts describe this as “the ether,” a state of heightened emotion where victims suspend logical reasoning. Doug Shadel, co-author of Weapons of Fraud: A Source Book for Fraud Fighters, explains, “To get you to trust me, you have to like me. I’ll mirror your interests to create a sense of connection.”
Targeting Vulnerabilities
Contrary to stereotypes, financial fraud victims are not exclusively elderly or isolated. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), individuals in their 20s report higher rates of scams than older Americans due to greater online exposure. Yet, older adults are often targeted for their accumulated wealth from retirement accounts, home equity, and investments.
FTC data reveals that Americans lost over $10 billion to scams in 2023, with seniors representing nearly 20% of those losses. The actual figures are likely much higher, as many scams go unreported. Additionally, the number of adults aged 60 and older scammed out of $100,000 or more has tripled since 2020.
Scammers employ a three-part strategy: building trust, inducing emotional vulnerability, and creating urgency. They use phone calls, emails, or texts to forge connections, extracting personal details to manipulate their targets. These conversations often exploit emotions such as loneliness, caregiving stress, or even shared interests like music.
Manipulating Emotions
The second step in the scammer’s playbook involves pushing victims into a heightened emotional state. Shadel notes that everyone has an “emotional Achilles’ heel” that scammers exploit. Whether it’s fear, joy, or anxiety, the aim is to destabilize the victim’s reasoning.
Judith, for example, was coping with the stress of her husband’s medical condition when she first encountered the scammer. “I was carrying the responsibilities of having my husband with Parkinson’s, and a lot of my life had changed after his diagnosis,” she recalled.
The final stage is creating urgency. Scammers fabricate scenarios to pressure victims into immediate action, such as claiming their bank accounts are at risk or funds will be frozen. “It’s baked into our brains to respond to threats,” Shadel explained.
The Illusion of Reality
Experts compare the scammer’s tactics to an immersive experience, akin to an amusement park ride. Just as visitors to Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean suspend reality to enjoy the illusion, scam victims are drawn into a fabricated world crafted by the fraudster. “It’s scary how good some of them are,” said Anthony Pratkanis, a psychology professor and co-author with Shadel.
Even seasoned experts acknowledge the difficulty of resisting these tactics. “I know exactly what’s going on, and I’m like, ‘Man, I can really see how somebody could easily get wrapped up in this,’” Pratkanis admitted.
A Call for Vigilance
Fraud prevention advocates emphasize the importance of maintaining skepticism and avoiding oversharing personal details with strangers. While awareness campaigns warn against sharing financial information, Shadel stresses that seemingly innocuous details, like family or travel plans, can be equally dangerous.
As scams grow in complexity, experts urge individuals to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities. Only through increased awareness and preventive measures can the rising tide of emotional manipulation be stemmed.
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