The magic stuck: how scammers deceive Russians
The number of Russians facing potentially fraudulent calls from unknown numbers increased by 3% in the first quarter of 2025 alone. Psychologists and police believe that almost anyone can be taken by surprise, but people who have not given up on childhood faith in miracles are especially deceived. Izvestia figured out who is in this risk group, what methods are used by scammers and whether it is possible to resist their onslaught.
Dollars and paper
Some people tend to have so-called "magical thinking" when they especially strongly believe in miracles and admit absolutely fantastic things, says psychiatrist Alexei Vilkov. The expert attributes this primarily to either a lack of education or increased suggestibility.
"Sometimes both factors play a role at the same time: people lack education and at the same time lack a critical attitude towards things that seem ridiculous and fantastic to an ordinary person," the psychiatrist explains. — And if these factors combine in a person, then he is just inclined to get involved in such adventures, to fall under the influence of outright scammers who take advantage of these features of a person and deceive him.
Against the background of many cases when people are ready to part with money and real estate at a single word of invisibility, information about fraud went almost unnoticed, requiring exceptional faith in miracles. A previously convicted man managed to convince two Muscovites that he could turn paper into dollars using water, special powder and foil. And in order for the process to end successfully, the crook needed real money from gullible citizens. Natives of Central Africa had previously engaged in similar frauds. It would seem that such frivolity is no longer characteristic of a modern person.
Olga Radziuk, a clinical psychologist at Dr. Isaev's Clinic and a gestalt therapist, explains that the belief in the possibility of "turning paper into money" is a manifestation of magical thinking, which is characteristic of the early stages of mental development.
— In childhood, we tend to perceive reality as subordinated to desires. The child believes that if you really want to or say some "magic words", you can change the course of events, the expert explains.
According to Radziuk, as most people get older, such thinking gives way to logical and critical thinking, but it does not completely disappear. And under certain circumstances, it can become more active. For example, under conditions of stress, emotional exhaustion, uncertainty, and loss of control over what is happening, a person may return to childhood faith in a miracle.
— If a person finds himself in a state of inner vulnerability — against the background of loneliness, debts, illness, family crisis — his psyche may temporarily resort to more "childish" ways of interpreting reality, warns the clinical psychologist. — At such moments, the irrational promise of a quick exit or a miraculous rescue sounds even more convincing than a sober calculation. This is exactly what scammers use.
According to Olga Radziuk, there are a number of personal and situational factors that increase the risk of falling into the trap of fraudsters.
— One of the key ones is suggestibility: the tendency to trust an external authority, especially if he speaks confidently and uses the language of power or threat," explains Olga Radziuk. — Irrational thinking also applies here — the tendency to believe in fate, signs, "special cases", karmic or mystical ideas. People with this mindset often attach special importance to coincidences and do not always ask about the verifiability of information.
The expert also considers those who are going through an emotionally unstable period to be at risk: loss of a loved one, divorce, relocation, deterioration of health. In such conditions, the psyche is weakened, and the ability to critically assess what is happening is reduced.
— It is important to note the lack of basic skills: financial literacy, the ability to recognize psychological pressure, and be critical of "official" sources. All this creates a vulnerability that criminals are able to accurately recognize and exploit," the clinical psychologist comments.
The expert emphasizes that human vulnerability plays into the hands of criminals — internal confusion, lack of self-confidence, inability to recognize their own emotions.
"At such moments, even the most sane person can believe in the impossible,— Radziuk warns. — And not because he's "stupid," but because he's scared, exhausted, or lonely. It is important to remember: if someone close to you finds himself in a similar situation, do not blame or ridicule, but support. Under conditions of emotional pressure, we all become vulnerable, without exception.
How to send a scammer
Fraudsters usually use such human characteristics as gullibility and suggestibility, a law enforcement source explained to Izvestia.
— A good upbringing of a potential victim also "helps" scammers — such a person, out of politeness, is not able to interrupt a conversation and, if necessary, "send" an annoying interlocutor, the expert continued. — The senile age of the victim and all the nuances associated with it also play a role.
In a conversation with a potential victim, scammers identify all his weaknesses, and then act on the principle of "who's in pain". The operative believes that the scam involving the conversion of paper into banknotes is based on human greed, the desire to make money in any way, from scratch. And convincing a potential victim that such a miracle is possible is already a matter of technique.
The Izvestia interlocutor also believes that much depends on a person's attitude and disposition.
— Of all criminals, scammers are the most intelligent. But they still manage to commit their crime not because they are smarter than the victim. For them, cheating is a job. They just sit and think how to cheat someone and make money from it. And if a person grew up and was brought up in a normal family, then he does not expect a trick and does not think that he will be deceived, he is not ready for this, the expert argues.
The most important thing, from the point of view of the operative, is not to delve into the conversation that the stranger is having, but to transfer the conversation to another topic or immediately stop the dialogue. Otherwise, there is a risk of getting bogged down in the discussion and missing the tipping point — when what is happening goes beyond reason.
— Scammers act in stages, with the expectation of psychological inertia. They build a chain of suggestion in which each next step is perceived as a logical continuation of the previous one," explains Olga Radziuk. — They don't argue with rational arguments — they act directly through emotions: fear, hope, the need for protection. Their suggestions don't sound absurd, but like a long-awaited explanation or a chance. And that's why they are so effective.
According to the clinical psychologist, scammers first establish contact, appeal to authority, and inspire self-confidence. Then they gradually increase their anxiety: they create a sense of threat, urgency, and the need to act immediately. Gradually, the so—called emotional tunnel is formed - a state in which critical thinking is suppressed, and consciousness narrows down to a single line of behavior: "to save money", "not to get into trouble".
— Let's add here the effect of cognitive dissonance: it is difficult for a person to admit that he made a mistake, especially if a lot of time, attention, and feelings have already been invested in his actions, — Radziuk continues. — To admit a mistake at this moment means to destroy internal stability. Therefore, a person continues to follow the instructions, even if they seem absurd from the outside.
According to the clinical psychologist, in the case of hypnosis, we are talking about hypnosis not in the stage, theatrical sense, but about a trance-like, focused state in which a person's attention is focused on one idea, and everything else is "darkened." When reality seems uncontrollable and events are frightening, the psyche tends to rely on at least some symbolic structures.
— Similar conditions can also occur under the influence of stress, fear, anxiety, especially if a person is isolated and does not receive external feedback. In this mode, he acts according to someone else's instructions, without questioning its grounds," says the clinical psychologist.
Under such circumstances, a person goes to the bank, withdraws a large sum and, without consulting with loved ones, transfers the money to a stranger. And these actions will seem logical and even necessary to him.
— The lack of critical reassessment is due to the fact that emotional pressure actually "rewires" his perception, — Radziuk comments. — That is why it is important not only to raise awareness about fraud schemes, but also to develop the ability to distinguish between one's own states — anxiety, suggestibility, a sense of inner haste or fear. Such signals will help you stop in time.
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