A psychologist revealed the techniques of scammers when talking to a victim on the run

Mikhail Horse, PhD in Psychology and a practicing psychologist, told how scammers use a conversation with a victim on the run.

In conversation with aif.ru On Tuesday, July 14, the expert noted that victims of fraudsters can be roughly divided into two groups. The first category includes people who regularly fall for the tricks of scammers due to a lack of critical thinking. The second category includes those who became victims by accident, for example, during a rush or due to inattention.

The psychologist urged not to talk to strangers on the run, because in a hurry it is more difficult for a person to analyze information. In addition, under no circumstances should SMS codes, PIN codes and other confidential data be disclosed.

Horse stressed that under stress or in a hurry, people lose their vigilance, which is what scammers use. To protect yourself, he recommends interrupting the conversation and independently calling back to the bank or other organization using the official number.

They have issued a double: the deceived victims of scammers will be attacked again

Phone scammers use two-step schemes

Earlier in the day, it was reported that fraudsters most often make calls to Russians on Tuesdays and Wednesdays around 3 p.m., choosing a time when most people are busy with work or daily chores. According to a study by analysts, in the first half of 2026, Russians aged 35 to 44 were most often confronted with unwanted calls.

Prior to that, on July 11, Mikhail Horse said that scammers were driving victims to self-harm. The main targets of cynical phone calls are two polar groups — pensioners and young people. The former have decreased critical thinking due to age, the latter due to immaturity or depressive states, the website notes. kp.ru .

Psychologist Elena Shpagina, in an interview with RT on July 3, said that trying to make fun of a phone fraudster carries risks. The most serious threat is the leakage of the victim's voice. Even a short dialogue gives scammers the material to create a realistic imitation, RIAMO writes.

Emotional intelligence development expert Victoria Shimanskaya advised on June 30 to come up with a family password to protect teenagers from scammers. According to her, children between the ages of 14 and 17 are particularly vulnerable. 360.ru .

Psychologist Vera Nikishina said that scammers often choose their victims according to certain criteria. These include old age, decreased critical thinking, high levels of trustfulness, severe fatigue, and self-interest, he notes. Pravda.Ru .