1. 真相偏见。 诈骗者利用我们通常相信我们所听到的信息,尤其是当它被重复多次。
2. 权威。 诈骗者可能会声称自己来自政府机构(例如 IRS或领馆)或警察,以此进行恐吓。
3. 缺乏。 通过提供有限数量的奖品或时间,诈骗者迫使人们立即做出回应。 当人们感到匆忙时,他们在采取行动之前不会花时间进行研究。
4. 进门的脚。 通过诱使人们首先做出小小的承诺——同意一个前提,披露信息——受害者转出一小笔钱后,骗子解释说需要更多的钱来完成回报,以免受害者失去最初的投资。
5. 耻辱。 诈骗者通常很难被起诉,因为懊恼的受害者拒绝承认自己的天真。
Truth bias. Scammers exploit our default human reaction to believe what we hear, especially when it’s repeated. As social creatures, we are disposed to learn from one another. Usually, trust pays off.
Authority. Scammers may intimidate by claiming to be from a government agency (e.g., the IRS) or the police.
Scarcity. By posing a limited number of prizes or amount of time, scammers pressure people to respond now. When people feel rushed, they don’t take time to research before they act.
The foot in the door. By inducing people to make small commitments at first—agreeing with a premise, disclosing information—scammers build momentum.
Sunk costs. After victims transmit a small sum of money, scammers explain that more money is needed to complete the payoff, lest the victims lose their initial investment.
Shame. Scammers are often hard to prosecute because chagrined victims resist admitting their naiveté.