Social engineering

Social engineering is a form of deception that relies on manipulating trust, emotions or fear rather than directly breaking into a system.

Scammers may pretend to be colleagues, IT support staff or police officers. They use apparent authority and a false sense of urgency to persuade you to reveal confidential information.

The information can then be used to access accounts or personal data, potentially causing financial and security problems.

Treat unexpected requests for confidential information carefully, however convincing or urgent they sound. Verify the person’s identity through a trusted channel before sharing anything.