Social Engineering Attacks: Hackers Hacking People, Not Just Technology

Not all scams hack devices, some hack people’s trust. By exploiting our emotions, this fast-growing fraud tactic manipulates victims into giving scammers access to their sensitive information and money.

What is Social Engineering?

When you think of cybercrime, what comes to mind? You might be imagining hackers breaking into computers with sophisticated software. In reality, criminals don’t need to hack a device at all. Instead, they target the easiest vulnerability: people. 

Social engineering uses deception and psychological manipulation to persuade people into giving out sensitive information, money, or access to their accounts. Victims of social engineering attacks are almost always tricked into one of these scenarios. Because these types of scams use deceit to trick unsuspecting individuals into providing their personal information, they're left responsible for financial losses while the scammer disappears without a trace. 

Why Social Engineering Works

Scammers use emotional triggers and mental shortcuts to pressure people into making quick decisions. Some examples of emotional triggers include fear, trust, and urgency. Social engineering is dangerous because anyone can be targeted, regardless of age or technical experience.

Knowing these triggers can help you spot a scam sooner. Learn more in our blog – The Psychology Behind Scams: Why People Get Tricked.

Spot the Setup: Social Engineering Tactics

• Phishing: Fake emails appearing from a well-known source but include suspicious links or an attachment that’s infected with malware. Learn more about this tactic in this blog – Phishing: Learn the Signs of This Cyber-Attack
• Smishing: Text messages appearing to be from a known source, usually with an urgent message asking for an immediate response. Learn more about smishing here – Smishing: A Silly Word But Serious Fraud Risk.
• Vishing: ‘Spoofed’ phone number appearing as a recognizable or trusted source on your caller ID.
• Baiting: Offers something tempting – such as a free gift card – as a way to lure victims into revealing sensitive information. 
• Pretexting: Impersonates a trusted person (such as a bank official) and creates a fake story to trick a person into sharing confidential information.

Scammers pretend to be businesses, charities, people, and more. Most often they'll pose as:

• Your financial institution or a government agency
• Your employer or well-known business
• A common delivery company
• Technical support
• A family member, friend, or romantic partner
• A charity or non-profit organization

Neither Peach State nor any of our third-party vendors (e.g., Visa) will ever call, text, or email you asking to disclose account or other personal information. If you believe you were contacted from someone pretending to be from Peach State or another legitimate agency, please contact us immediately at 855.889.4328, stop by your local branch, or email us at psfcu@peachstatefcu.org.

Scammers Will Ask You to Lie – Major Red Flag

An especially alarming tactic scammers use is telling victims to keep the communication a secret or to lie about the interaction entirely. They know family members will ask questions and employees of financial institutions are trained to recognize fraud and will step in to help. They use secrecy and deception to keep victims from thinking, getting advice, or stopping the transaction.

Criminals may tell their victims the following in attempt to cover their tracks:

• “Don’t tell your family.”
• “Tell your bank you're sending money to a relative.”
• “Tell the teller you're buying a car.”
• “Don’t mention cryptocurrency.”

If anyone tells you to lie about why you’re withdrawing money, purchasing gift cards, wiring funds, or sending cryptocurrency, treat this a major warning sign and stop the transaction immediately. 

AI and Deepfakes are Helping Social Engineering Scams

Artificial intelligence has made social engineering even more convincing. Imagine receiving a phone call that sounds like someone you know, saying they’re in crisis and need money for an emergency. How can you be sure it’s really them? As technology advances, social engineering becomes more sophisticated and harder to detect. AI-generated content can appear authentic, making it even more important to slow down and verify requests before reacting – even when the situation feels urgent. Remember, scammers want you to react before you have time to think.

Scammers use AI to:

• Write realistic sounding emails
• Create convincing looking and functioning websites
• Clone voices that sound like genuine people
• Generate fake documents and identification
• Produce videos that show real people speaking and doing things they never did

Falling victim to a scam can lead to emotional distress and serious debt. Learn about two popular scams that are stealing hearts and wallets in this blog – From Bitcoin to Romance: Don’t Get Tricked by These Popular Scams.

Don't Let Scammers Get in Your Head

Recognizing how social engineering works and learning the warning signs can strengthen your awareness of a potential scam. By slowing down, asking questions, and verifying unexpected requests, you can outsmart scammers and better protect yourself and your finances.

Here are few safety tips that can help you avoid becoming a victim of a social engineering scam. 

• Pause before you act: Scammers rely on use of urgency and your immediate action. Slow down and take a moment to think things through before reacting.
• Verify: Never use the contact information given to you. Instead, research the company and use the details found on its official website.
• Never share security codes: Your financial institution will never ask for this. If someone is requesting this information, it’s a scam.
• Watch for emotional manipulation: If you feel rushed, threatened, or are asked to lie – DO NOT ENGAGE  – it's a scam.
• Enable security features: Always use strong passwords, multi-factor authentication, account alerts, and regularly update your software to block new threats.
• Trust your instincts: If something feels off, stop and verify before taking action. A few extra moments of caution can help prevent identity theft, financial loss, or other harm later on.

Helpful Tip: Even as scams evolve, they often rely on the same familiar tactics and warning signs. Learn more about common signs of scam so you can stay one step ahead of cybercriminals – Pretend, Problem or Prize, Pressure and Payment: Common Signs of a Sign.

Protect Your Wealth and Self from Deceptive Scams

At Peach State, we’re committed to helping our members protect their money and personal information from getting into the hands of bad actors and crafty criminals. If you ever receive a suspicious request involving your accounts, are contacted by someone claiming to be from Peach State who is asking for sensitive information, or believe you’ve been targeted by a scam, contact us immediately. 

To learn more about fraud, scams and ways to keep yourself safe, visit the fraud prevention section of our blogs, checkout our podcast, and follow us on social media.