Where the Heart is: Social Engineering and Identity Theft
It’s a nightmare scenario no family ever wants to face: 11-year-old Rebecca has been stricken by a rare form of cancer. Worse, Rebecca’s father, an aircraft rigging assembler, was laid off from his struggling company seven months ago.
The family makes do with seasonal work…when they can find it. Meanwhile, Rebecca, who loves horses, Hannah Montana and hopes to be a marine biologist one day, is getting worse.
But perhaps the biggest tragedy here is that Rebecca isn’t real.
Heart Strings and Computer Viruses
Shocked? Confused? A little angry? You should be. Social engineering involves manipulation of the emotions, like the sympathy you likely felt for the fictitious Rebecca and her struggling parents.
But why do they do it? According to ID theft experts, playing on people’s emotions can help effect a desired outcome. In the world of the identity criminal, that outcome is the theft of personal information that will allow him or her access to your credit cards, bank account…and good name.
But how can a tragic story, an advertised “windfall“ or a series of humorous pictures (”Subject: These are great…pass them along!”) lead to ID theft? All too easily, experts warn. Though some e-mail forwarded stories are all too true, many are created specifically to tug at your heart strings…and, as directed in the e-mail, pass the information along to everyone on your buddies list.
However, unbeknownst to the sender (and his or her recipients), the e-mail may contain a virus designed to peruse your computer for passwords and account numbers.
Faux Friendships
Another sneaky social engineering method involves a new and perhaps admiring “friend” on an internet forum (or one who approaches you via e-mail). This person will attempt to get into your good graces by flattering you, expressing a common interest or claiming to want to become internet “pen pals”.
As time goes by, you’re asked for more and more personal information…but then again, your erstwhile buddy seems to be free with his or her own experiences, garnering even more trust from you. By the time you know you’ve been hacked, your friend is gone–along with all the phony personal information he exchanged with you.
Protecting Your Heart, Protecting Yourself
Before falling for a social engineering-based scam, sit back, take a deep breath and consider the following:
- Identity thieves of this nature are counting on you not to want to be the bad guy. They will use any psychological means at their disposal to get you to dig deep, give up personal info or forward a virus. Go ahead, be the bad guy; play it safe.
- In a situation where an online acquaintance is asking for help (such as the tragic story outlined above), do some research before helping out. Some health or financial cries for help are legitimate; generally, those that are will go through legitimate channels. Call or e-mail Ronald McDonald House, the Make a Wish Foundation or other organization the e-mail claims it’s from and verify that there’s an actual need. Then go ahead and help out–for real.
- Psychologists say that people who give out personal information quickly in an effort to “make friends” tend to either have internal issues or be looking for something more than they’re admitting to. Your own inner radar will probably tell you when an internet acquaintance is moving too fast. Even if you’ve been corresponding for months, you’re never required to give out any information that makes you uncomfortable or could eventually lead to trouble for you.
Most important of all, temper your natural good heartedness and sense of social responsibility with real research into the situation. There’s always a place to give and to help. Unfortunately, the internet isn’t always the best place to express your generosity. Look into charities that mesh with goals that are important to you. Get involved, and make a real difference–without being had.
