Politeness is putting some people at risk of scams, with 53% of adult in the UK having remained on an unexpected phone call in the past year for longer than they wanted to, according to an anti-fraud body.
The Take Five to Stop Fraud campaign, which commissioned a survey, found 32% of people said concerns about seeming rude would contribute to them feeling uncomfortable about halting a conversation.
Take Five’s campaign is warning people that fraudsters will try to exploit people’s politeness in order to keep conversations going, so they have a longer opportunity to build trust, apply pressure and influence people’s decisions.
Backed by Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood, the campaign is encouraging people to resist the instinct to always be polite.
“People know I’m not afraid to tell it like it is. Some would say I could do with a few more manners myself,” he said.
“But…
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This remains the most prevalent form of financial crime globally. It targets the direct access points to your money: your cards and your bank accounts.
- Skimming: Criminals use small devices called “skimmers” placed over ATM or point-of-sale card slots to capture the data from your card’s magnetic strip.
- Card-Not-Present (CNP) Fraud: This occurs during online shopping where a physical card isn’t required. Thieves use stolen card numbers, expiry dates, and CVV codes to make unauthorized purchases.
- Account Takeover (ATO): A hacker gains access to your online banking credentials (often through malware or phishing) and changes the contact details or passwords, locking you out while they drain your funds.