Key Concepts and Terminology Explained
Scammers have a toolbox of techniques and a language all their own. Understanding these terms will help you see past their tricks and recognize a scam for what it is. Here are some of the key concepts you need to know.
Social Engineering
This is the master tactic behind nearly every scam. Social engineering is the art of psychological manipulation. Instead of trying to hack into your computer, a scammer tries to “hack” you. They prey on human emotions like fear, excitement, curiosity, or the desire to be helpful. They might try to rush you, scare you, or flatter you. By understanding that scammers are trying to manipulate your feelings, you can learn to spot their attempts and take a step back before acting.
Example: A caller tells you your grandson is in jail and needs bail money immediately, playing on your love and fear for your family to get you to act without thinking.
Phishing
Phishing is a type of scam that uses fraudulent emails, text messages, or websites to trick you into revealing sensitive personal information. The message will often look like it’s from a legitimate company you know and trust, such as your bank, a credit card company, a social media site, or an online store. It might ask you to “verify” your account details or “update” your password by clicking a link. That link, however, leads to a fake website designed to steal the information you enter.
Vishing (Voice Phishing)
Vishing is simply phishing done over the phone. This is the foundation of most how to report phone scams inquiries. A scammer will call you and pretend to be from a trusted organization, like the IRS, Medicare, or even your own bank’s fraud department. Their goal is to get you to give up personal financial information, such as your credit card numbers, bank account details, or Social Security number.
Spoofing
To make their vishing and phishing attempts more believable, scammers use spoofing. This technology allows them to disguise their caller ID or email address to look like it’s coming from someone else. Your caller ID might show the name of your local police department or a well-known company, but the call is actually coming from a scammer on the other side of the world. This is why you can never trust caller ID alone to verify who is calling.
Identity Theft
This is often the ultimate goal of a scam. Identity theft occurs when someone wrongfully obtains and uses your personal data in some way that involves fraud or deception, typically for economic gain. With your Social Security number, birth date, and other private information, a thief can open new credit accounts in your name, file fraudulent tax returns, or even get medical services. Protecting your personal data is the key to preventing identity theft.
Legal Protection
This term refers to the laws and systems in place to safeguard you from fraud. Agencies like the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) work to stop fraudulent practices and educate the public. While these protections exist, the best defense is always prevention. Understanding a scammer’s vocabulary is the first step in building that defense.
