“This type of crime isn’t hacking, internet wizardry or magic – it’s just good old deception”
Scams are like fine wines, in that they mature with age but still cost a fortune and leave a bitter aftertaste. Back in 2019 (see issue 299, p117), I told you about the £28,000 that Basil almost donated to sophisticated telephone fraudsters. A few weeks before Christmas, I encountered version 2.0 of “The Basil Scam”, but it took me a while to realise what I was dealing with.
When Paul phoned, he was extremely frustrated. His laptop was only a year old and had been a present for his wife Sylvia. They were both computer virgins, having actively avoided technology during their careers before shying away from it during retirement. Their sudden submersion in tech was instigated by their grandchildren, who had grown up and scattered to the four corners of the earth, working and studying.
Scamming is a growth industry perpetrated by professionals who manipulate technically and psychologically. This sophisticated technique is known as “social engineering” (see Norton’s definition at ) and ensures that victims believe the lies they’re being fed. People who have little technical experience,
