12.08.2025 - Emotions are almost always central to social engineering. Scammers deliberately try to provoke certain feelings and reactions in their victims. The final part of our summer series looks at how scammers exploit our emotions, and explains why being aware of your own feelings is key to keeping a cool head.
Fear of loss, time pressure, feelings of shame and the desire for connection are all powerful tools in social engineering. Scammers exploit these emotions to bypass their victims' rational thinking.
Fear: a scammer's favourite tool
Fear is a natural and often useful emotion; it helps us to identify and avoid danger. But with the rapid pace of digitalisation, it can be harder to adapt these age-old instincts to new situations. For example, less confident internet users may worry about clicking on the wrong link. In cybersecurity, however, this kind of caution can be beneficial, such as when you stop to think about whether an email is genuine.
Conversely, some people are so confident online that they lose this healthy sense of suspicion. They click on links without thinking, and only realise afterwards what the consequences might be.
A healthy amount of fear can help protect you. But scammers try to deliberately stoke fear in their victims so that they won't think rationally. For example, they might claim that you will lose access to your e-banking account unless you act immediately. Or they may say there have been unauthorised logins to your account and that you need to take action or you will lose your money.
These types of claims are designed to put pressure on victims in the hope that the fear of financial loss will prevent them from questioning the story. When you believe your entire savings are at risk, the possibility that the message itself is a scam can easily fade into the background.
So, when you receive a message that is clearly intended to frighten you, take a step back. Don't act immediately – give yourself time to calm down. Only then will you be able to think clearly and make a considered decision.
Stress: a double-edged sword
Stress works in a similar way to fear. Many scammers try to put their victims under time pressure. The principle is the same: when you feel compelled to act immediately, you are more likely to respond emotionally rather than rationally and make the wrong decision. The principle is the same: when you feel compelled to act immediately, you are more likely to respond emotionally rather than rationally and make the wrong decision.
Unlike fear, stress can also be linked to positive emotions. Fake competitions are a common example of this. In this type of scam, scammers might claim that only the first 1,000 participants will have a chance to win. Excited by the prospect of winning, people often don't stop to question why they're suddenly being asked to hand over personal details. They just want to be among the winners.
Our advice in such situations is the same as above: if you feel under time pressure and compelled to act immediately, pause for a moment. Take a breath and think carefully about whether the offer sounds legitimate.
Is it better to pay than to feel ashamed?
Shame is a powerful emotion. We want others to see us in a positive light, and we want to avoid embarrassing ourselves in front of them. Scammers exploit this through 'fake sextortion' emails, which are designed to prey on feelings of shame. In these messages, scammers claim to have pictures or videos of you visiting pornographic websites. They threaten to send these alleged files to your friends, family members, colleagues, and so on, unless you pay a ransom.
Some potential victims are certain that the claims cannot be true. However, others – who have, in fact, visited pornographic websites – may believe the scammers' story and feel so ashamed that they would rather pay to avoid possible exposure. In reality, in the vast majority of cases, no such compromising pictures or videos exist. Scammers rely solely on the power of shame.
Once again, the aim is to use people's emotions to suppress rational thinking. So the advice is the same: take your time. Consider whether the threat is realistic, and don't act purely out of embarrassment.
Love and loneliness
In romance scams, scammers target people who are lonely, exploiting their longing for love by giving them hope of a romantic relationship. People who crave closeness and belonging are often willing to do things they would never agree to under other circumstances.
Over time, victims often feel emotionally attached to the person they believe they’re talking to and come to trust them. This emotional connection makes it easier for scammers to make demands later on. It ties in with the 'foot-in-the-door' technique that we explained in last week's instalment of our summer series. For many victims, the emotional connection makes it difficult to break free from the romance scam.
If someone you have never met in person starts making demands of you, especially if these demands involve money, this is a clear warning sign. Say no to these types of demands, even if the person threatens to cut off contact. Someone who truly loves or values you will not try to put you under that kind of emotional pressure.
Emotions are human, and scammers know how to exploit them. Being aware of your own feelings can help you keep a cool head when it matters most. The rule is simple: think before you click.
Recommendations
- Don't let your emotions take over when you're online.
- Keep a clear head online, and take time to consider whether a claim is actually plausible.
- If someone you don't know claims to have compromising pictures or videos of you, they are almost certainly bluffing. Cut off contact immediately and do not give in to any financial demands.
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Last modification 12.08.2025
