05.08.2025 - Scammers are skilled at manipulating people to make them behave in certain ways. In part five of its summer series and in next week's part six, the NCSC will explore why social engineering is so effective and the psychological tricks behind it. The better you understand these patterns, the better you can protect yourself.
The authority bias: Why we're more likely to follow instructions from people in positions of authority.
The authority bias refers to our tendency to accept instructions or statements from people in positions of authority without questioning them, even when they seem dubious or illogical. We’re more likely to trust people who have power, status or expertise than those who don't. That can make everyday decision-making easier, but it also opens the door to manipulation.
Two examples:
- A suggestion made during a team meeting is more likely to be seen as good if it comes from a manager than a colleague.
- When someone in uniform (such as a police officer) tells you to do something, you're more likely to comply than if the same request came from a civilian.
Scammers deliberately exploit this psychological effect. They often pose as police officers, bank employees, or senior executives to influence their targets. If someone calls pretending to be a police officer and tells the person on the line to do something, many people will do as they're told. The authority bias overrides their sense of doubt.
To protect yourself from scams, it is important to be aware of this bias. If you receive an unexpected message or call from someone claiming to be from the police or senior management at your job, ask yourself: Does what they're telling me actually make sense?
The foot-in-the-door technique: Say yes once, say yes again and again?
The foot-in-the-door technique is a psychological manipulation tactic often used in sales and advertising. The idea is simple: once someone has agreed to a small request, they are more likely to agree to larger ones later on.
It starts with an almost impossible-to-refuse, seemingly harmless request. As soon as the person concerned agrees, further, slightly modified requests will gradually follow. Eventually, you're asked to do something that you would probably have said no to at the outset. But because you've already said yes a few times, it becomes harder to suddenly say no. This is because we tend to want to appear consistent in our behaviour. Once you've said yes to something, you might not want to seem inconsistent, even if the situation has changed significantly.
Scammers exploit this human tendency on classified ad platforms, for example. They contact sellers posing as interested buyers. At first, everything seems normal. Then they claim there's an issue with the payment method and suggest an alternative. These changes initially seem minor and harmless – such as trying out a different payment service or clicking on an extra link. Gradually, you are drawn into a situation where you end up entering sensitive information on an unfamiliar website. Had the scammer asked you to do that right at the start, you probably would have refused.
Just because you agreed to a small request at the beginning doesn't mean you have to keep saying yes. If the situation keeps changing or something doesn’t feel right, end the conversation. Don't let a scammer use the foot-in-the-door technique to push you into doing something you’re not comfortable with.
FOMO: The fear of missing out
FOMO is the feeling that others are enjoying an experience or benefiting from an opportunity while you are being left out. This fear can lead to hasty decisions to avoid missing out.
FOMO often presents itself in social situations. For example, you might attend an event that doesn't actually interest you – because you're worried that others might have a great time at the event and that you would regret it if you missed it. FOMO doesn't only happen in these kinds of everyday situations; scammers also exploit people's FOMO online.
One example is investment fraud. Fake investment websites often claim that they only let a limited number of people invest with them. This can trigger FOMO in some people: they're afraid that if they wait too long, they'll miss their chance to make a lot of money.
There are times when it makes sense to act quickly. However, before acting on impulse, you should stop and ask yourself: does it really make sense for this opportunity to only be available for a limited time? As a general rule, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Recommendations
- Remain cautious when navigating online spaces.
- Don't let yourself get drawn into taking a series of small steps that you don't actually want to take.
- Don't let offers that seem exclusive or unusually lucrative dazzle you.
- If you have even the slightest reservation, cut off communication.
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Last modification 05.08.2025
