The tactics scammers use to trick us

Scammers try to steer people away from an analytical headspace into a more intuitive, automatic way of thinking.
Scams are becoming more tailored, with messages that might appear to be written specifically for you or by a loved one.
Look for key signs and build in safety nets – like checklists, rules and triggers - ahead of time to help you avoid responding to scams.

We know more than ever about scams, yet countless people are swindled every week – not necessarily through lack of knowledge or intellect but because scammers apply persuasive strategies to their grifts. “People generally intend to carefully think about the transactions they make but our behaviours don’t always follow our intentions,” says Will Mailer, CommBank chief behavioural scientist.

When you break down how the average person tends to think, Mailer says it’s helpful to think of two key modes: “One is quite logical, deliberate and analytical and the other is much more intuitive – it’s quicker and far more automatic. Scammers are really trying to steer people into that latter way of thinking.”

Mind games scammers use

Scammers often create social signals designed to make you feel you can trust them. Maybe they’ll build a rapport with you or make themselves appear as though they’re in a position of authority. The scammer will attempt to disarm your analytical headspace and “make it very easy for you to fall for different psychological traps”, says Mailer.

At times they may do a favour for you or use incentives to connect with you and build trust; other times they’ll lean on emotions – like fear or excitement – to put you in a “hot state” and elicit a rushed response. “We’re quicker to act in situations where we might lose something than where we might gain something,” says Mailer. “Scammers often put you in a situation where there’s a sense that you’re about to lose something and that’s a powerful emotional trigger.” That urgency is designed to keep you in automatic mode so you’re less likely to consider any red flags.

Will Mailer, CommBank chief behavioural scientist.

Understanding everyday vulnerabilities

You may not like to think of yourself as someone who could be scammed – few people do – but the reality is that you’re human and oversights happen. “We have limited time, attention and brain power – scammers look to overwhelm that,” says Mailer. “If we had to carefully and deliberately think through every action in our day, we’d quickly get exhausted. So we use heuristics – or shortcuts – which can lead to biases and errors.”

These mental shortcuts allow for easier decision-making but they don’t employ our best critical thinking skills. This is the space where risk can creep in – maybe you decide to click on a link or pay for a second-hand item you haven’t seen in person or you share your personal details on a dodgy phone call.

Mailer says these kinds of errors are not reflections of intellect but rather moments of vulnerability. “You might be really smart but in certain contexts you might forget the information you know and act intuitively. An example we use is the Moses Illusion. If we ask people how many of each animal Moses took on the ark, people just say two. But it wasn’t Moses on the ark, it was Noah. What they’ve done is neglected the knowledge they had.”

If you’re stressed or distracted and a scammer focuses your attention on one very simple ask, you may just forget the possible consequences.

Stop. Check. Reject… if you spot these signs:

Urgent or time-pressured requests
An unexpected message asking you to click a link
Messages that trigger fear or excitement
Out of the blue contact claiming authority, such as from a bank, utility provider or government agency

Visit CommBank Safe to learn more.

How scams are evolving

When we look at the current scope of scams and how they’re evolving, it’s easy to become overwhelmed. But one point of reassurance for Mailer is that the basic tactics tend to stay the same. “Scammers will continue to draw on the same psychological principles. It’s just going to become much more powerful, precise and tailored.”

What once looked like generic messaging for the masses will now appear to be written for you. Or, in the most extreme cases, it may look as though the message is coming from a loved one, potentially using their voice or likeness to do so.

The truth is that we haven’t evolved for this level of sophisticated intelligence working against us. And in order to adapt, we all need to play a part. “Technology companies have to build in safeguards, organisations must support their customers and the customers themselves need to be aware that the world is becoming riskier,” says Mailer.

How to build safeguards against scams

The best way to ensure you’re not caught out by a scam? Build in safety nets that help you avoid responding to them to begin with. “Don’t wait until you’re in that ‘hot state’ to have a plan,” says Mailer. “You have to think ahead of time, while you have time and space and can apply logical thinking.”

Checklists: “If you’re in a situation where you’re not sure, refer to a checklist of safety mechanisms that you prepared during a calm moment.”
Rules: “Create your own ‘if-then’ rules. For example: ‘If someone asks me to click a link then I will always go the long way around and find the website manually.’”
Triggers: “I notice when there’s urgency, surprise or pressure and use that as a trigger to slow myself down. I will stop and use my checklist and rules – no matter what’s being asked or how small it seems.”

Visit the CommBank Safe hub for more information on cyber security, scams and fraud.

Published: 9 March 2026

The psychology of a scam: tactics scammers use to trick us