Outsmarting Social Engineering in the Digital Age

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Picture yourself at a party, scrolling through your phone, and you get a message. It looks like it’s from your bank: "Urgent! Suspicious activity on your account. Click here to verify your identity." You hesitate for a moment—because, let’s face it, who doesn’t panic when they hear “suspicious activity” and “account” in the same sentence? But then you remember: your bank has never texted you before. Besides, you’ve barely left the couch all week. Is it really suspicious, or is it just your pizza app reminding you of your sedentary life?

Welcome to the world of social engineering, where the real enemy isn’t some faceless hacker in a hoodie. Nope, it’s your own instincts being used against you. Think of it as modern-day manipulation with a digital twist—except instead of tricking you into trading your lunch money for magic beans, they’re going after your bank account, passwords, and personal data. And it’s all happening right under your nose.

What is social engineering?

Social engineering is the art of manipulating people into giving up their confidential information. It’s not just limited to shady back-alley schemes anymore—it’s happening everywhere, from email inboxes to phone calls, making it a widespread and persistent threat. Scammers, fraudsters, and cybercriminals are out there after one thing: access. They want to trick you into handing over the keys to your digital life.

Think of social engineering as a digital con game, but instead of tricking you with a three-card monte, they’re using emails, phone calls, and even social media to scam you. And the scary part? It works. So, if you think you’re too smart to fall for it, buckle up—because even the sharpest minds can be tricked when the con is slick enough.

The Netflix scam

In 2023, scammers launched a Netflix phishing scam that hit users worldwide. You receive an email, seemingly from Netflix, claiming there’s an issue with your payment method. Panic sets in because you can’t risk losing access to your weekend binge-fest. The email looks legit, complete with Netflix’s logo and branding. They ask you to “update your payment details” by clicking a link.

But here's the kicker—it’s not Netflix. The link takes you to a fake website designed to harvest your payment information. By the time you realize what’s happening, you've already served your bank details up on a silver platter.

Photo credit: Andy Renshaw

Key schemes to watch out for

Let’s break down some of the most common social engineering attacks targeting people like you—because, yes, high school seniors and college freshmen are prime targets. You’ve got just enough personal data online to make you appealing to scammers but not enough experience to spot every scam (yet).

1. Phishing

This is the granddaddy of all social engineering scams. Phishing attacks typically come via email, luring you in with clickbait subject lines like “You’ve Won a $1,000 Amazon Gift Card!” or “Your Account Will Be Deactivated—Take Action Now.” Once you click the link, you’re taken to a fake website where you’re asked to enter sensitive information like passwords, credit card numbers, or worse—your social security number. Spoiler alert: You’re not winning anything. You’re getting played.

Example: In 2020, a massive phishing attack targeted over 50,000 Microsoft Office users, tricking them into logging into a fake Microsoft 365 page to steal their credentials. The scam was so convincing that even seasoned IT professionals fell for it.

2. Smishing

Think phishing but via text message. Smishing (SMS phishing) is a scam sent straight to your phone. One minute, you’re sending memes to your friends, and the next, you get a text claiming to be from your bank, a delivery service, or even your favorite store. They’ll ask you to click a link or call a number, all to fix some “urgent” issue. Remember, if it’s that urgent, they’d probably contact you—not text you.

Example: In 2022, scammers posed as Amazon and targeted customers with fake delivery texts. The message included a link to “track your package,” but it led to a phishing site that stole your personal info.

3. Vishing

This one comes via a phone call—voice phishing (vishing) scams are when someone pretends to be from a legitimate organization (think Apple Support, the IRS, or your bank) and tries to pressure you into handing over personal information. They’ll use scare tactics or play on your emotions, like telling you your bank account has been hacked, and if you don’t act now, you'll lose all your money. Spoiler: They’re the ones hacking you.

Example: The infamous IRS scam—callers pretend to be IRS agents and demand payment for back taxes. Hundreds of college students have been targeted, often paying up out of fear of getting in trouble with the government. Newsflash: The IRS doesn’t call to demand payment.

4. Quishing

You probably haven’t heard of this one yet—it’s phishing but with QR codes (quishing). Scammers send you a QR code, often disguised as a cool discount or a ticket to an event. You scan it, and boom, malware is downloaded onto your phone, or you’re redirected to a fake site to enter your payment info.

Example: In 2021, QR code scams spiked when scammers pasted fake codes on parking meters. People would scan the codes, thinking they were paying for parking, but instead, their payment information went straight into a scammer’s database.

Social media con is on

Let’s not forget the role social media plays in social engineering. You might think it’s harmless to post about your upcoming trip to Cancun or share photos of your dog’s birthday, but guess what? Scammers are watching. All those little details you share publicly? They can be used against you.

Case Scenario: You post about attending a university orientation in a specific city. A few days later, you receive a message from someone claiming to be a professor or student group leader offering guidance. They invite you to a “welcome event,” but they need some personal details to confirm your attendance. You provide them with your email, phone number, and even some personal info. Weeks later, you find out that this “welcome event” never existed, but your data has been compromised.

Outsmarting the scammers

Here are some golden rules to avoid becoming another social engineering statistic:

1. Don’t click on sketchy links: If an email, text, or social media message looks fishy (pun intended), don’t click on any links. Go directly to the source—if your bank is emailing you, log into your account from their official website, not from an email link.
2. Check the sender’s email address: Scammers often create fake email addresses that look almost legit but always have something off, like "[email protected]" vs. "[email protected]."
3. Be skeptical of urgency: Scammers love to pressure you by creating a sense of urgency. Take a deep breath and double-check before taking action.
4. Use two-factor authentication (2FA): This is like wearing a seatbelt while driving. It adds an extra layer of protection in case your password gets compromised.
5. Keep your social media private: Limit what you share and who can see it. Scammers can use public information to build a profile on you.

Stay sharp and informed

In a world where social engineering schemes are getting smarter and slicker, it’s not just survival of the fittest anymore—it’s survival of the sharpest. Stay skeptical, stay alert, and most importantly, stay informed. The next time someone promises you the moon, check to see if they’re really just selling you a bag of sand.