Forum: Scammers take advantage of anxiety
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I agree with anti-scam experts that the more aware you are of scams, the more confident you are, and this makes you take more risks ( Rise in criminal activity and scams on Telegram extremely concerning: Sun Xueling
If you look at situations where people have become victims of fraud and think that could never happen to you, you’re probably being misled by your own biases.
The mistakes others make might seem obvious in hindsight, but they are more ambiguous in real time.
Our capacity for critical thinking and logical decision-making suffers under a state of anxiety, and scammers profit from our reactions to the threat of legal action, financial loss or missed opportunities.
The truth is that it can be really difficult to detect scams, so give yourself a break if you’ve fallen victim to one.
Hearing the stories of scam victims can be heartbreaking, but they can also be an eye-opener and a reminder that falling prey to scams can happen to anyone.
By being sceptical, and observing our thoughts and feelings without immediately acting on them, we can make more considered choices and better protect ourselves from fraudulent schemes.
Richard Cheng

