Smart people more often become victims of scammers – why this happens

The article explains why educated and intelligent people become victims of cybercriminals. Key factors include the psychology of trust, emotional traps, artificial stress creation, and excessive self-confidence. A high IQ does not protect against social engineering, and the decisive role is played by the current psychological state.

The article examines the paradox of why smart and educated people often fall victim to scammers. Modern fraud has moved beyond primitive schemes: criminals use digital technology and access to personal data to adapt to victims' circumstances. According to VeryWell Mind, a high IQ is not a defense against social engineering. Gallup data shows that about 15% of US residents have encountered fraud in the past year. The decisive factor is psychological state: scammers create an illusion of security by faking the design of banking apps and government portals, and artificially induce stress with messages about account blocks or fines. In a state of anxiety, critical thinking is blocked. The danger of overconfidence is also noted: people convinced of their own perceptiveness more often ignore warning signs. Modern AI allows for grammatically flawless phishing texts. The only defense is to pause and double-check information through official channels.