New survey findings from ClarityCheck suggest that empathy, etiquette, and social hesitation are now key tools in the scammer's arsenal, and that behavioural habits, not just digital literacy, are shaping exposure to fraud.
The modern scam economy is no longer built solely on phishing kits and spoofed domains; it’s increasingly powered by politeness. According to a recent ClarityCheck survey of over 2,000 adults in the United Kingdom and the United States, four out of five scam victims (82%) admitted to engaging with a suspicious message, call, or profile before verifying its authenticity. This behavioural delay, even a brief reply, a short call, or momentary hesitation, is proving to be a critical window of opportunity for digital fraud.
While technical tools evolve, many scams continue to succeed because of a deeply human reflex: the discomfort of being rude. Nearly one in three respondents (31%) said they remained in the interaction despite early doubts, citing reasons such as curiosity, fear of offending the other person, or a sense of social obligation.
"Scammers have evolved their tactics to exploit not just trust, but tone and timing," said Ihor Herasymov, Managing Director of ClarityCheck. "We’re seeing more emotionally calculated openings, short, polite asks that mirror everyday communication. Image and email verification tools can help users break that moment of hesitation and introduce an objective layer of digital safety."
ClarityCheck’s survey also revealed that 48% of adults under 35 would feel uncomfortable abruptly ending a suspicious call, even when something felt "off." This discomfort with perceived rudeness has become an unexpected vulnerability, as scammers increasingly design their messages to disarm users with social cues, deference, or urgency couched in familiarity.
The study suggests that as digital life normalises, constant outreach, from cold calls to friend requests, people are struggling to balance caution with compassion. This is especially evident in evening hours, when scam-related searches spike. ClarityCheck reports that peak verification activity occurs between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m., a window aligned with fatigue, distraction, and decreased digital vigilance.
While fraud awareness has improved, the gap between knowing and acting remains. Many users now recognise red flags in hindsight, but still hesitate in the moment due to social instincts. The result is a subtle but dangerous shift in scam tactics: fraudsters are no longer impersonating brands or banks alone; they are impersonating trust itself.
ClarityCheck enables users to verify suspicious phone numbers, email addresses, or profile images through a single search, helping to contextualise unknown interactions and flag inconsistencies. These tools are becoming increasingly important as scams grow more psychologically adaptive.
The findings suggest that digital safety campaigns must evolve beyond technical tips and incorporate behavioural insights. Teaching users that it’s okay to hang up, not respond, or pause before engaging may be as important as teaching them to recognise fake links.
About ClarityCheck:
ClarityCheck is an all-in-one background verification tool for phone numbers, emails, and images. Designed for everyday digital safety, ClarityCheck helps users instantly identify unknown contacts, trace suspicious profiles, and check for potential fraud across phone, email, and photo input. By combining reverse lookup and OSINT technologies, it offers a streamlined way to verify identities and protect yourself online.
ClarityCheck is an all-in-one background verification tool for phone numbers, emails, and images. Designed for everyday digital safety, ClarityCheck helps users instantly identify unknown contacts, trace suspicious profiles, and check for potential fraud across phone, email, and photo input. By combining reverse lookup and OSINT technologies, it offers a streamlined way to verify identities and protect yourself online.