Maybe it’s your friend. Or maybe even you. According to scientists, some people are more vulnerable to scam than others, which makes them “ideal scam victims”. Are you one of them?
Is there anything like an “ideal scam victim”? And why, in some cases, are scam artists so successful, while they don’t stand a chance with other people?
In 2016, economist Keith B. Anderson made a research on this topic. And came with fascinating findings. There really are personal characteristics that correlate with higher probability of becoming a victim. And it’s not hard to identify them.
An ideal scam victim has these 5 personal traits
To find an “ideal scam victim”, Keith B. Anderson conducted a survey using members of an internet panel. Participants were shown six mock print advertisements that advertised products in one of three different product categories.
The claims in three of the ads were sufficiently outrageous that they would likely only be found in advertising for a fraudulent offering. The other three ads, which were for the same three products, contained only more plausible claims.
The result? All people who tended to purchase the likely-fraudulent products shared 5 essential character traits.
1. Overconfidence
Do you think you’re totally safe when it comes to scam? Then you may be in trouble. According to Anderson, the higher level of confidence about your financial knowledge, the more likely you become a scam victim.
2. Lack of consumer literacy
Anderson’s paper has clearly shown that people who lack basic knowledge of how consumer market works, tend to fall for scam more often.
3. Lack of skepticism
It’s no surprise. Consumers who are less skeptical may fall for scam more easily. It’s because these consumers, inappropriately, trust the honesty of the seller.
4. Impulsiveness
As expected, the Anderson’s research has shown that those who took their time to think are relatively safe, when it comes to scam. (And of course, scammers know that. So whenever they try to fool you, they don’t give you a chance to take your time and push you into immediate action, instead.)
5. Risk takers
Anderson shows a strong correlation between this trait and victimization. Those who are more willing to take risks also tend to become a scam victim more often.
So what’s your score? 🙂 Remember that when it comes to phone scam, you can always use a help of an reliable spam blocker.