Understanding the Psychological Manipulation in Scams

When Joe can’t get his Apple Pay payment to go through, he does a quick search for their customer service number and reaches an operator named Daisy. Daisy informs Joe that his account has been flagged – criminals have compromised his identity and are coming after his life savings. But there is nothing to worry about, Daisy works directly with the FBI, and she will help him protect his assets. Over the following months, Joe is in constant contact with Daisy as she helps him transfer his savings and precious metals investments to safe accounts. He tells her all about his wife, who recently passed away, and she shares details about her life. As their connection grows deeper, they make plans for a future together. But as soon as the money is gone, Daisy disappears, leaving Joe heartbroken.