It’s never been easier to scam someone online. Now, AI-generated “pity scams” use fake injured veterans to sell cheap mass-produced products. They leverage three powerful psychological biases to persuade the masses. On today’s Nudge, I explain how and why it’s so hard to stop the scammers. --- BBC’s fake veteran reporting: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgy0lz08keo BBC’s Jean Philanthrope reporting: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/c60qkdjvx70ko Unlock the Nudge Vaults: https://www.nudgepodcast.com/vaults Subscribe to my newsletter: https://www.nudgepodcast.com/mailing-list Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phill-agnew/ --- Today’s sources: Bickman, L. (1974). The social power of a uniform. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 4(1), 47–61. Buell, R. W., Kim, T., & Tsay, C.-J. (2016). Creating reciprocal value through operational transparency. Management Science, 62(6), 1–23. Office for Veterans' Affairs. (2023). Perceptions of UK armed forces ex-service personnel. GOV.UK. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/perceptions-of-uk-armed-forces-ex-service-personnel Xygalatas, D., Mitkidis, P., Fischer, R., Reddish, P., Skewes, J., Geertz, A. W., Roepstorff, A., & Bulbulia, J. (2013). Extreme rituals promote prosociality. Psychological Science, 24(8), 1602–1605.
