Fraudsters’ Secret Weapon- And How to Disable It

Many assume that artificial intelligence (AI) is the most powerful weapon in a fraudster’s arsenal. There is no doubt that AI has revolutionized the world of fraud, making scams more efficient and harder to detect. Modern scams routinely employ AI technology like voice cloning, deepfake videos, personalized phishing, and predictive targeting to steal from victims.

However, there is something even more fundamental to the success of scams than AI: Shame. Victims of scams blame themselves and feel foolish; they hide their experiences to avoid judgment or social stigma. Unfortunately, hiding denies victims requisite support and gives fraudsters the green light to keep scamming.

Shame helps perpetuate the cycle of scamming. It prevents the spread of useful information that could stop future scams. It promotes isolation, cutting older adults off from people who could help them verify information and avoid engaging with fraudsters. Most importantly, it stops reporting, allowing fraudsters to evade legal consequences.  

If we want to stop fraudsters, we must combat shame. There are two main ways we can do this:

1)       Stop blaming ourselves. We have to recognize just how sophisticated and well-funded modern fraudsters are. Everyone, including the most intelligent and well-educated, is vulnerable to skilled manipulation tactics, weaponization of advanced social psychological principles, and cutting-edge technology.  If you were the victim of a scam, it’s likely that you were up against someone operating from a multi-million-dollar call center, following a well-researched script, possibly using some of the most advanced AI technology available—not a solo criminal operating from his basement. Successful fraudsters are on top of their games.

Scam victimization is not sign of low intelligence. Criminals work very hard to manipulate and create situations in which a person does not have time to apply logic and reasoning. It is never the victim’s fault. The only person to blame is the fraudster.

2)       Stop blaming each other. When we hear about someone else falling victim to a scam, it’s tempting to roll our eyes and say, “that could never be me.” However, in doing so, we are unwittingly helping to perpetuate the cycle of scamming. The sad truth is that we are all vulnerable. Instead of shaming each other, we have to create open lines of communication to share our experiences, protect each other, and stop scamming. We can start with one simple change in how we talk about a scam victim’s experience. Instead of saying “Mrs. Jones lost $XXXXX,” we should say, “A fraudster stole $XXXXX from Mrs. Jones.” This places the blame where it belongs: on the fraudster.