Instead? Social engineering is key. Determining what password a user is likely to use helps cut down the amount of work it takes to get in. Asking what a user's password is can be tricky and might require nerves of steel, but that is even easier.
While it's easy to think that I will never fall for that some or trickery, I try not to delude myself. I can keep my guard up but I know that I can fall prey to it, also.
Of course, even if we sometimes forget, scams--like porn and dating--predate the internet. People learned long ago that cheating someone out of valuables is often easier than earning those valuables through honest work.
OK. So. Please pause there. Hold that thought, even.
Now back to me. I don't like talking to people. Unless it's for my job--where talking to people is a key reason I get paid in (reasonably) hard US currency--I don't like talking to people unless (a) I know them, or (b) they are attractive women.
That might make me sound like an asshole, but it's generally true. I'd say that I'm working on it, but... I'm not. Not really. I don't want to expend emotional effort to learn to like talking to strangers in random social settings.
Even, though, as I have come to terms with my introverted streak, one thing that I do want to work on is willingness to help people in need. I have a tendency to be self-centered and, when coupled with my introversion, it means that I am oblivious (or even apathetic) about the plight of people I don't know (who don't just HAPPEN to be attractive women).
I try, at least sporadically, to help those who seem to need it, even if it means talking to strangers.
Which brings us back to the thought that you've been holding...
Some time back (a fortnight? A month?) I was approaching my apartment building. There was a guy who was using a cell phone right outside the door of the building, and I fobbed (is that a verb?) my way in and past him, and he initiated conversation. I was not altogether pleased, but I didn't want to be rude, so I had this conversation with him:
Dude: Hi, could you help me out?
Me:[warily] Uh... maybe.
Dude: Do you know the best way to get a hold of the building manager?
Me: [pointing to the phone on the wall] Did you use the--
Dude: I just called the number on the flier and used that phone... no answer.
Me: Sorry to hear that. No I don't--
Dude: Hmm... well, could you do me a favor?
Me: I don't--
Dude: I just came from Renton to pick up my friend's car. He passed away and it's in the building's garage.
Me: I don't know...
Dude: If the manager were here, he could just let me see if the car's even there. It's a brown pinto.
Me: Well, yeah, I don't--
Dude: Could you maybe let me in to just take a look? I've come all the way up here and would hate to just turn around if the car is right in there.
Me: Hmm...
Dude: I've got the key, even. Look [shows me the key].
Me: OK. I'll let you in.
Dude: Thank you so much! I appreciate it!
Me: ...
And then I spent the rest of the evening wondering if I should have escorted him to the garage and escorted him back out. Or if I shouldn't have let him in at all. Or if it was just perfectly fine that I let some random dude into the building.
On the one hand, lots of old people die in my building. It's entirely reasonable that amongst the hundreds of my neighbors someone had kicked the bucket.
On the other hand, crime is pretty common in our area, ranging from a bomb scare to Politica's car getting stolen to all sorts of other reasons cops are parked on our block that I don't even know about.
On still the other hand, he seemed desperate. He gave details.
On still... OK. Enough with the hands.
Liars know to give details. Scammers know to make a series of small, reasonable requests and to escalate once they get to "yes". Thieves know ... well, how to steal stuff, I guess.
Was he an honest guy in a jam? Or did I help him break into cars and/or someone's apartment?
And why do I talk to non-attractive female strangers... ever?
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