How scammers use emotions to manipulate victims

Fraud experts in Toronto say scammers often rely less on new tricks and more on the same emotional pressure tactics to control victims. A CBC Toronto report explains that fear, urgency, and trustbuilding are central to many scams, including a recent case in which a caller claimed to be from a bank and used personal details to gain credibility. Toronto police say the city is on pace for a sharp rise in fraud losses this year, with reported cases already totalling hundreds of millions of dollars. Investigators and scam psychology researchers say many victims are kept on the phone long enough to stop them from checking details, contacting a friend, or pausing to think. The article says the key to prevention may be recognizing emotional cues early. Experts advise people to stop the conversation, hang up, and call the bank or police directly if a request feels alarming or unusually urgent.