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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2009
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Top Traits That Mean You're a Sucker

Researchers find a fifth of people are most likely to be fooled by fraudsters

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(Newser) – British researchers have identified several traits that make a person more likely to be sucked in by a scam, the Daily Telegraph reports. The country's fraud watchdog warns that while nobody is immune to being conned, the following traits make around a fifth of the population most vulnerable:

  • An inability to control certain emotions, including excitement and greed.

  • Overconfidence: Scam victims tended to be those who had more expertise in the fields, such as investment, where they were suckered.
  • Secretiveness: The study found that those who declined to speak to family and friends about their involvement in possibly dubious deals were the most likely to be taken in.

British researchers say around a fifth of the population is most vulnerable to being scammed.
British researchers say around a fifth of the population is most vulnerable to being scammed.   (Shutterstock)
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No one is immune to being scammed. If you have any worries that something might be a scam, you need to talk to someone else about it: It very likely is. - Professor Steven Lea of the University of Exeter

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