Behind The Scam

Why Scamming?

When we look at online scams, it’s important to look into not just the scam itself, but the group or individual behind it and their motives. Lets dive deeper into who the scammers are and what drives them to do these horrible things.

The Scammers

Scammers, obviously, are the people behind the scam. The type of scam and the intent of the scammer can reveal how they plan to use you. Scammers typically execute a popular strategy called the Social Engineering Attack Cycle. It starts with someone gathering all the information they need to get in contact with you. They then reach out to you (most commonly via text, phone call, or email) and establish a relationship, attempting to lower your boundaries for the next step. Once they have your trust they will exploit you. This usually includes things such as asking for your card information, email and password, social security information, address, bank details, gift card activation codes, and the list goes on. This finally leads to the final step which is execution. As soon as they have what they want… Boom! You’ve officially been scammed.

Social Engineering Attack Cycle

When interacting with a stranger online, remember to look for the four steps of the Social Engineering Attack Cycle:

  1. Information gathering

  2. Establishing a relationship

  3. Exploitation

  4. Execution

The Motivation

Scammers have intention behind everything they do. Their primary focus is making money, whether that’s getting a payment directly from you or selling information you give them. Giving a scammer the smallest amount of your information can allow them to access a plethora of things. Someone with your bank information could, at first, steal $30 out of your account, but who says they won’t take more? Even worse, nobody is stopping them from selling your information to other people. If an experienced hacker gets a hold of your bank details, they have access to so many other personal details, even going as far as to take your identity. Scamming is a major problem for everyday people. Be on high alert when talking to people you don’t know online and make sure to secure your information.