"Social Engineering" Attacks Are Getting Smarter

John Bradley "JJ" Jackson

06 Nov 2025 • 2 min read

I almost got fooled recently. Okay, I did get fooled.

A message popped up on LinkedIn from someone I knew years ago. It even showed a conversation thread between us that looked familiar. The person asked for a quick favor which included a request for my cell phone number to allow for a text introduction to another person. Everything "felt genuine". Only later did I realize my old friend is not even on LinkedIn. The whole thing was made up.

That is what a social engineering attack looks like. These scams target people, not computers. They rely on trust and emotion rather than hacking skills. The attacker pretends to be someone you know or should trust and uses a story to make you act quickly or share information. Note the platforms used include email, text, social media and any channel that allows a message to be delivered.

They start with deception, pretending to be legitimate. Then comes manipulation, creating urgency or sympathy so you stop thinking carefully. Finally, they exploit the situation by getting you to click, download, or reveal something private.

Common examples:
- Phishing emails that look real but steal your login info.
- Spear phishing messages that use personal details to trick you.
- Pre-texting which is when someone builds a fake story to gain your trust.
- Baiting which is an offering for a free download that contains malware.
- Scare-ware which warns of fake viruses so you install the real one.

These attacks are on the rise in both business and personal settings. The messages look professional and are often customized to your world. Even smart and careful people can get caught off guard.

The best defense is awareness. Slow down before you click. Confirm who you are talking to. If a request feels off, it probably is.

Social engineering works because it plays on human nature. The good news is, once you understand the game, you can stop it before it starts. Yes, you can fight off these attacks with blocked messages, reporting them as spam or phishing, robust VPNs, malware software, and the like.

For me, I am greeting new requests with a healthy dose of suspicion. Kind of sad.