What is Pretexting and How to Protect Yourself From it?

This comprehensive guide will explain everything you need to know about pretexting – what it is, the different types and real-life examples, and most importantly, how to protect yourself from these scams.

Pretexting is a form of social engineering attack where the scammer creates a false scenario or "pretext" to trick the victim into revealing confidential information. The pretext is designed to appear urgent and legitimate to get the victim to bypass normal security protocols.

While pretexting scams come in many forms, the goal is always the same – to manipulate the target into giving up sensitive data that can then be used for identity theft, financial fraud or gaining unauthorized access. Being aware of common pretexting techniques is the first step to protecting yourself.

What is Pretexting?

Pretexting involves creating a believable story or situation to deceive the victim. This is done through various communication channels – phone calls, emails, text messages, social media, or even in-person.

The pretexter often impersonates someone in authority or poses as a service provider to appear credible. They may claim there is a problem with your account that requires immediate action or that you have won a contest prize in order to get your personal information.

Once they have your trust, the scammer will request sensitive details like login credentials, bank account numbers, or personal identifiers. Since the victim believes the story, they end up complying without realizing it’s a scam.

Pretexting is simply a confidence trick used to manipulate people into disclosing confidential information.

Some common goals of pretexting include:

Identity theft – Obtaining personal information to steal and use someone‘s identity.
Financial fraud – Accessing bank account details to steal money.
Corporate espionage – Retrieving trade secrets, intellectual property or confidential data.
Social scam – Developing a fake relationship to exploit the victim.
Information gathering – Collecting data that can aid in further attacks.

Now let‘s look at the various techniques used in pretexting scams and real-world examples of how they work.

Types of Pretexting

Pretexters use a variety of tricks tailored to the medium of communication. Here are some of the most common pretexting techniques:

Phishing

Phishing uses emails, texts, calls or messaging apps pretending to be from a legitimate company. The message will urge you to update account information, verify details or fix a problem by clicking on a link.

The link then takes you to a fake website impersonating the real one to steal login credentials or download malware. Phishing scams often rely on creating a sense of urgency or threatening account suspension.

Example: An email claiming there was suspicious activity on your Netflix account asks you to click a link to secure the account.

Vishing

Vishing relies on voice calls and social engineering instead of digital messages for the scam. The pretexter spoofs caller ID to appear as a bank, tech support or government agency.

Claiming there is a time-sensitive issue with your account, they will request personal information or instruct you to transfer money. The calls create pressure to bypass verification and follow their directives.

Example: A vishing scam call pretending to be Apple Support says your iCloud was hacked and asks for your login password to investigate.

Smishing

Smishing uses SMS text messages for phishing scams. The texts also create urgency around updating account details, parcel deliveries, unpaid bills or other scenarios. Smishing links can download malware or capture SMS-based two-factor authentication codes.

Example: A text stating there was suspicious activity on your bank account urges you to call a number to secure your funds (which is actually the scammer).

Scareware

Scareware tricks users into downloading fake antivirus software by making false virus claims. It starts with a browser pop-up or website ad stating your system is infected. To remove the made-up threats, you are prompted to run a fake malware scan and purchase the software.

In reality, the software is malware designed to infect your system and steal data. Some scareware locks you out of your device until you pay a ransom.

Example: A browser pop-up says dangerous malware was detected on your device and you must download an anti-virus cleaner immediately.

Baiting

Baiting relies on tempting curiosity to get you to compromise your system. This could involve finding USB drives or discs labeled with enticing file names left around publicly. If inserted, the device installs malware and opens backdoors into the computer network.

Example: USB drives labeled "Executive Salary Report Q3" are left around a company‘s premises to tempt employees into viewing the contents.

Quid Pro Quo

Quid pro quo pretexting offers a service or benefit in exchange for private information. The scammer impersonates someone needing your details for an apparent legitimate purpose.

Often the benefit is a false promise of a high-value product or service that requires some personal data to qualify or win. This tricks the victim into lowering their guard and handing over more information than they should.

Example: A pretexter posing as a mortgage broker asks for your SSN, bank statements and other financial details in order to pre-approve you for a loan.

Tailgating

Tailgating is a physical form of pretexting to gain unauthorized access to restricted areas. The scammer impersonates an employee to piggyback behind legitimate personnel into secure offices, data centers or other facilities.

Once inside, they can steal confidential data, implant wiretapping devices or gain network access. This is especially common in large buildings where people do not always recognize every employee.

Example: A pretexter dressed like a maintenance worker walks in behind employees going through a propped open door that is supposed to be locked.

Reverse Pretexting

Reverse pretexting uses your personal information to develop a pretext story. Rather than tricking you into giving up details, they use background research to understand you and create a believable scenario.

This is common in romance scams, where the scammer uses subtle details to establish rapport and emotional intimacy. Once they gain your trust, they exploit the relationship for financial gain.

Example: An online dating profile scammer finds your workplace and job title through social media, then poses as someone in a similar field to build a connection.

Now that you know how pretexters operate, let‘s look at some real-world examples of these social engineering scams in action.

Real-Life Pretexting Scams

While any communication channel can be used for pretexting attacks, some methods allow scammers to cast a wider net or prey on specific targets. Here are a few notable cases:

Romance Scams

Dating sites and social media are happy hunting grounds for scammers using fake profiles and sob stories to romance targets and eventually ask for money. This con accounted for the highest individual financial losses of any internet scam in 2022, totaling $547 million just in the U.S. according to the FTC.

Military romance scams are also common, where the scammer poses as a deployed soldier to gain trust and exploit their partner’s patriotism. Over $133 million was lost to military romance scams from 2021 to 2022.

A woman met a man online who led her to believe they were in a romantic relationship. He then convinced her to purchase $63,000 in gift cards under the pretense it was needed for his overseas COVID-19 treatments.

Tech Support Scams

Tech support scammers cold call victims while impersonating Microsoft, Apple or other tech companies claiming there are issues detected on your computer. They instruct you to download remote access software giving them control or direct you to a fake support website to steal credentials.

Losses to these scams reached $347 million in 2021. More advanced versions can infiltrate business networks to deploy ransomware, steal data or compromise customers.

A tech support scammer called a small business posing as an Apple contractor and convinced the owner to install AnyDesk remote software. They encrypted the company‘s files and demanded a $50,000 ransom.

Government Impersonation

Posing as government tax and law enforcement agencies is a common tactic, threatening potential legal action if fines or back taxes are not paid immediately. These scams prey on fear and limited understanding of government processes.

Total losses to government impersonation scams were nearly $467 million in 2022. Foreign pretexters also frequently pose as U.S. government officials when targeting recent immigrants who may be less familiar with how agencies operate.

Scammers called victims while spoofing IRS phone numbers, claiming they owed taxes and would be arrested if they did not pay thousands of dollars via gift cards.

Spear Phishing

Spear phishing targets specific individuals, groups and businesses using their names, logos and customized messages to appear more legitimate. Emails impersonate vendors, clients or coworkers to request payments or data.

One example compromised a university’s network after an employee was fooled by a fake email from the school IT department. The message contained malware allowing the attacker to steal research data worth millions in lost funding.

A spear phishing email sent to a healthcare company appeared to be from a medical equipment supplier asking the accounting department to update their vendor payment details.

Crypto Scams

From fake exchanges to Ponzi schemes, the cryptocurrency ecosystem is rife with pretexting scams. Fake crypto apps impersonate legitimate providers to steal login details and drain accounts.

Bogus investment opportunities promise insane returns if you send an upfront contribution in cryptocurrency. In 2021 alone, crypto fraud accounted for over $7.7 billion in losses according to the FTC, a more than 60% increase over the prior year.

A cryptocurrency exchange support imposter defrauded a user out of $2 million in Bitcoin after gaining remote access to the victim‘s computer under the pretense of providing assistance.

As these examples demonstrate, pretexting scams continue to evolve and diversify, using both mass targeting and precision social engineering tactics. However, there are ways individuals and organizations can reduce their risk, which we‘ll cover next.

How to Protect Yourself from Pretexting

While no prevention strategy is flawless, developing smarter security habits goes a long way in avoiding pretexting traps. Here are some best practices:

Slow Down and Verify

The hallmark of pretexting is creating urgency and pressure to bypass verification steps. Slow down and confirm any unusual requests, even when they appear to come from trusted sources.

Take your time to check the email address, hover over hyperlinks to inspect URLs, or call back using official contact information – not the number they provide. Avoid being rushed into any financial transactions.

Whenever you receive any urgent communications asking for personal data or money, pause and validate it through separate channels before acting.

Strengthen Passwords

Use strong, unique passwords on all online accounts and enable two-factor authentication (2FA) wherever possible. Password reuse allows pretexters to access multiple accounts if credentials from one site are compromised.

Password managers also generate and store strong credentials for each account without you having to actually remember them. Enable account activity notifications as well.

Strong passwords and 2FA force attackers to clear a higher hurdle when trying to access your accounts fraudulently.

Be Wary of Requests for Sensitive Data

Government agencies, banks and most businesses do not need your personal details like Social Security numbers, account passwords or medical history for ordinary account inquiries.

If a call, email or other communication asks for sensitive identifying data, that should raise immediate red flags. Keep personal data limited to trusted official websites and forms.

Only give out sensitive personal information when you initiate the exchange on an official website or form you know is legitimate.

Guard Your Computer and Mobile Devices

Keep software updated and run robust antivirus tools to guard against malware from phishing links or fraudulent downloads. Do not plug in unverified USB drives or insert discs with unfamiliar files or labels.

On mobile, only install apps from official app stores and be cautious granting permission requests from any apps. Keep Bluetooth off when not needed to prevent device pairing exploits.

Treat devices connecting to your systems and network as possible infection vectors to be approached carefully.

Basic details you share publicly on social media like hometowns, occupations, family members and pet names can help scammers fabricate more convincing pretext stories.

Limit sharing private details across public posts, profiles and pages. Be selective in accepting friend requests from people you do not know. Restrict account visibility and watch your security settings.

The more background details available publicly online, the easier it is for a scammer to gain your trust through their pretext.

Train Employees as a First Defense

For businesses, employees are targets for breaching networks via phishing and physical access tricks like tailgating. Security training helps them recognize and report possible pretexting attempts.

Include clear protocols for verifying unusual requests, restricting access from unfamiliar people, safely handling unsolicited devices, and reporting suspicious communications. Reward reporting so employees do not second-guess their instincts.

Well-trained and alert employees form the most effective first line of defense against human pretexting risks.

Staying aware of the latest pretexting techniques, guarding your personal data, verifying requests thoroughly, and training employees will significantly improve your odds of spotting and stopping scams.

No single solution is foolproof. But combining smart precautions, security tools and training creates layered protection against the majority of pretexting attacks. Avoid becoming complacent, as scammers constantly refine and invent new social engineering tactics.

With vigilance and some healthy skepticism however, you can help ensure neither you nor your organization falls victim to potentially damaging confidence tricks. Just remember, if something seems questionable or too urgent, take a step back and validate it through trusted channels.