Scams are created to trick you into handing over money or personal details. It is important to remember a scam is fraud and fraud is a crime.
As well as leaving people out of pocket, victims are often left feeling a sense of shame and social isolation - but - don't feel embarrassed, it can happen to anyone.
To get victims hooked and responding to scams, criminals rely on:
- shame
- social isolation
- loneliness
- vulnerable circumstances
- and the fact that victims might not always admit (or even be aware) that they are a victim of a crime
Criminals will often attempt to rush victims into making decisions and encourage them to keep their contact secret from family and friends.