What is Social Engineering? How Cybercriminals Deceive You

We live in a technology-driven era where mobile phones, the internet, emails, and social media are part of our daily lives. But with this growing dependency, the risk of cyberattacks has also skyrocketed.

Hackers no longer rely only on software exploits. Instead, they manipulate human emotions and behavior to steal sensitive information. This psychological trickery is called Social Engineering.

What is Social Engineering?

Definition

Social Engineering is a type of cybercrime where attackers exploit human psychology to gain access to confidential data. Instead of technical hacking, it relies on trust manipulation to trick users into revealing sensitive details.

Why is Social Engineering Dangerous?

• Victims unknowingly share personal information themselves
• Antivirus or security software cannot always detect it
• It abuses psychological trust rather than system flaws
• It’s cheap, easy, and highly effective for attackers

Major Types of Social Engineering Attacks

Phishing

Description: Fake emails or websites are used to trick users.
Example: “Your account will be closed. Click here to update.”

How to Identify:

• Fake Gmail or bank logos
• Suspicious/shortened URLs
• Messages with spelling errors

Vishing (Voice Phishing)

Description: Attackers call victims pretending to be from a bank, company, or government office.

Example:
“Suspicious activity was detected in your bank account. Please provide your OTP.”
Attackers may also send links via SMS asking you to click and verify immediately.

Smishing (SMS Phishing)

Description: Fake SMS messages lure users into clicking harmful links.

How to Identify:

• SMS from unknown numbers
• Urgent requests to click quickly
• Messages offering money or prizes (e.g., “You won $10,000”)

Pretexting

Description: Hackers create a false identity or story to request data.

Example:
“I’m an IT support agent. We detected a virus in your computer. Please install TeamViewer.”

Baiting

Description: Free offers or downloads are used as bait.

Example:
“Download free Netflix Premium here.” Once clicked, malware gets installed.

How Do Cybercriminals Trick You?

Playing with Emotions and Fear

• Fear: “Your account will be blocked”
• Greed: “You won a lucky draw”
• Sympathy: “I’m sick, please help me”

Collecting Data from Social Media

Hackers gather details like your birthday, workplace, school, or location from Facebook and other platforms to gain your trust more easily.

Are You at Risk?

You may be vulnerable if:

• You shop online frequently
• You open emails from unknown senders
• You share personal details on Facebook
• You don’t use OTP-based security

If 2 or more of these apply, you are at high risk.

How to Protect Yourself (Prevention Tips)

• Use strong passwords (at least 12 characters with symbols, numbers, and capitals)
• Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) everywhere
• Never click unknown links
• Avoid logging in on public Wi-Fi
• Attend regular cyber awareness training

Real-Life Social Engineering Case (Nepal)

A bank user in Kathmandu received an SMS saying: “Your account is frozen. Click here to verify.”

He clicked the link and entered his eBanking login. Within minutes, Rs. 100,000 was withdrawn from his account.

Why did this happen?

• The SMS was fake
• The link redirected to a phishing site
• The victim entered his own credentials voluntarily

FAQs

Q1: How dangerous is social engineering?
Extremely dangerous — it can steal both your personal data and financial resources.

Q2: Can children be targets?
Yes. Fake giveaways, online games, and free offers can easily trap children.

Q3: Can antivirus protect against social engineering?
Only partially. Since social engineering is psychological, antivirus tools can’t detect it like software-based attacks.

Conclusion

Social Engineering is one of the most silent yet powerful forms of cyberattacks today. Instead of exploiting technology, it targets human trust and emotions.

A conscious user is a safe user.

Final Message

“If your mind isn’t secure, your system will never be secure.”