Scammers also often adopt a persona of someone in authority such as a police offer or fraud detection manager, reports the BBC.
The Take Five campaign asked a speech pattern analyst to study calls from scam artists. Paul Breen found that the fraudsters used a variety of techniques to gain the trust of their victims.
“The process used by fraudsters is carefully scripted from beginning to end – knowing the language fraudsters will use to mimic patterns of trust can help people to avoid becoming a victim,” he said.
He found that while many people are more likely to trust a stranger over the phone if they sound like a “nice person”, a caller acknowledging someone’s concerns and sounding apologetic can be the hallmark of a scam.
Analysis suggested that scammers use snippets of information about their victims, remain patient and acknowledge concerns about security to gain the trust of the person being called.
Cases of identity fraud have been rising, with young people a growing target, often after people give up personal information to someone pretending to be from their bank, the police or a retailer.
Government plans to ban cold-calling, unveiled in the Autumn Statement, were put on hold when the snap election was called in April 2017.
Avoid being scammed
Take Five recommends: “If you receive a request to provide personal or financial information, you need to take a moment to reflect and step back from the situation. Yes, even if they say they’re the bank, police or other trusted organisation, you still need to take the time to stop and think about what’s really going on.”
- Never disclose security details, such as your PIN or full banking password;
- Don’t assume an email or phone call is authentic;
- Don’t be rushed or pressured into making a decision;
- Listen to your instincts; and
- Stay in control – have the confidence to refuse unusual requests.
