The Rise of Celebrity Impersonation Scams on Social Media

Business Insight
この記事は約3分で読めます。

日本経済新聞の社会面で、SNS上の投資詐欺の急増が取り上げられてました。

著名人を語る詐欺師が(被害者を)SNSのチャットグループなどに勧誘し、そこで交わされる様々な「儲け話」や成功話に触れる中で、「自分も投資しなければ…」と洗脳され、多額の資金を架空口座に振り込んでしまうというものです。

後で冷静になってみると、おかしな点は多々あったと気づくものの、皆が投資をしているという同調圧力や権威性によって騙されてしまうようです。

「世の中にそんなにうまい話はない」という健全な懐疑心を持つこと、(有名人だからと言って安易に信用せず)「自分自身で確かめること」が大切だと思いました。

 

【English】

In recent months, there has been a sharp increase in investment scams on social media platforms, with con artists posing as celebrities or other highly trusted individuals. These scams have become so sophisticated that even people without cognitive impairments are likely to be deceived.

The typical scam involves convincing individuals that they are communicating with a celebrity or respected authority figure. The scammers often invite their targets to join exclusive chat groups on social media that are designed for scamming.

Once the con targets are fully engaged, they are persuaded to transfer large sums of money to a fictitious account, which pretends to offer a lucrative investment opportunity.

There are often numerous inconsistencies in the scammers’ stories and behavior. However, victims are frequently blinded by the halo effect, where the perceived authority or status of the impersonated figure makes the scam appear credible.

Additionally, the pressure to conform within the group, combined with the emotional atmosphere created by the fraudsters, can deteriorate rational thinking, leading victims to fall for the scheme.

The key to protecting ourselves from such scams is to remain skeptical, especially when financial transactions are involved. It is crucial to independently verify the authenticity of any investment opportunity and to be aware of the psychological tactics that scammers often use to manipulate their victims.

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