Cybercriminals are increasingly exploiting positive emotions such as empathy, kindness, and curiosity to deceive their victims, warns Anna Collard, Senior Vice President of Content Strategy and CISO Advisor at KnowBe4 Africa.
While fear-based scams remain common, Collard says fraudsters are now using emotional manipulation to target people’s desire to do good. “We have all heard about fear-based tactics or scams using a sense of urgency, but scammers also focus on positive feelings like compassion and love to take advantage of their victims,” she said.
Examples include fake charity appeals, often involving children, the elderly, or disaster relief efforts, backed by fabricated testimonials and even AI-generated videos. Such scams, she said, play on genuine goodwill and can be especially effective in communities with strong cultural values of collective responsibility.
“Kindness activates the brain’s reward centres, creating a sense of connection and purpose that criminals can exploit,” Collard noted. “When people feel good about helping others, they are less likely to question whether something is a scam.”
She highlighted romance fraud and so-called “pig butchering” scams—where victims are deceived over months by fraudsters posing as romantic partners or business mentors—as growing threats.
To stay safe, Collard urges individuals to verify charitable causes before donating and to create a 24- to 48-hour “pause rule” for any emotionally charged financial decisions. “Discuss potential donations or investments with trusted friends or family members,” she advised. “And always use secure, traceable payment methods rather than cash or cryptocurrency.”
For organisations, she recommends expanding security awareness training to include emotional manipulation scenarios and cultural context in phishing simulations. “Verification is caring, not cynicism,” she said.
Collard concludes that awareness is the best defence: “Being security-conscious protects both you and legitimate causes. It ensures that genuine acts of kindness reach the people who truly need them.”
