統測
115年
[外語群英語類] 專業科目(2)
第 30 題
📖 題組：
Scams are deceptive actions used to trick people out of their money or information. They affect millions of people every year. As shown in the following table, different scam types exist. ( ① ) In investment fraud, scammers trick victims by promising easy and risk-free profits, and then steal their funds. Online auction scams and general shopping scams use social media, websites, or even well-known platforms to post low-price ads or sell fake items as real ones, and then steal money through non-delivery or by sending junk items. These three types of scams account for nearly 57% of all reported cases. Romance scams involve scammers pretending to be romantic partners, building trust over time, and then requesting money. In ATM installment cancellation scams, scammers trick people into transferring money at ATMs by pretending to cancel a payment plan. In job offer scams, scammers post fake job advertisements and demand some prepaid money before hiring victims. In government and friend identity impersonation scams, scammers pretend to be officials or friends to trick victims into sending money. Charity fraud and other types of scams are grouped under “Others.” The Percentages of Scam Types The scam process has several stages. Scammers select victims and gather information from social media (Stage 1: The Net). Then, they contact victims by pretending to be banks or government officials to gain trust (Stage 2: The Hook). Scammers use emotions like fear, greed, or sympathy to build trust and create pressure to act quickly (Stage 3: The Manipulation), and then offer solutions with fake documents (Stage 4: The Pitch). Scammers persuade victims to share passwords or transfer money (Stage 5: The Execution). After this initial success, they move to Stage 6 (Further Exploitation) by creating new emergencies to demand more money. ( ② ) After taking everything, scammers move funds and disappear (Stage 7: The Closure). Victims suffer financial and emotional harm (Stage 8: The Consequences). Scams succeed due to certain personality traits in people. Risk-takers often ignore dangers. Trusting people too easily, low self-control, and acting without thinking make them easier targets. ( ③ ) People who accept information without questioning are easy victims of scammers. To prevent scams, researchers studied different warning types. The first warning type uses urgent language about immediate dangers and losses (e.g., “DANGER! Stop this transfer NOW. A scammer is going to steal your money.”). This reduces scams by 62.3%. The second kind of warning provides advice such as “Check and confirm the order before paying.” and informs users about how scammers work. Scams are reduced by 45.8%. ( ④ ) People should check unexpected calls from governments or banks by calling official numbers to confirm they are real. Requests to keep things secret are often a warning sign of danger. When scammed, report it to the police immediately. More importantly, recognizing warning signs early is the best prevention.
Scams are deceptive actions used to trick people out of their money or information. They affect millions of people every year. As shown in the following table, different scam types exist. ( ① ) In investment fraud, scammers trick victims by promising easy and risk-free profits, and then steal their funds. Online auction scams and general shopping scams use social media, websites, or even well-known platforms to post low-price ads or sell fake items as real ones, and then steal money through non-delivery or by sending junk items. These three types of scams account for nearly 57% of all reported cases. Romance scams involve scammers pretending to be romantic partners, building trust over time, and then requesting money. In ATM installment cancellation scams, scammers trick people into transferring money at ATMs by pretending to cancel a payment plan. In job offer scams, scammers post fake job advertisements and demand some prepaid money before hiring victims. In government and friend identity impersonation scams, scammers pretend to be officials or friends to trick victims into sending money. Charity fraud and other types of scams are grouped under “Others.” The Percentages of Scam Types The scam process has several stages. Scammers select victims and gather information from social media (Stage 1: The Net). Then, they contact victims by pretending to be banks or government officials to gain trust (Stage 2: The Hook). Scammers use emotions like fear, greed, or sympathy to build trust and create pressure to act quickly (Stage 3: The Manipulation), and then offer solutions with fake documents (Stage 4: The Pitch). Scammers persuade victims to share passwords or transfer money (Stage 5: The Execution). After this initial success, they move to Stage 6 (Further Exploitation) by creating new emergencies to demand more money. ( ② ) After taking everything, scammers move funds and disappear (Stage 7: The Closure). Victims suffer financial and emotional harm (Stage 8: The Consequences). Scams succeed due to certain personality traits in people. Risk-takers often ignore dangers. Trusting people too easily, low self-control, and acting without thinking make them easier targets. ( ③ ) People who accept information without questioning are easy victims of scammers. To prevent scams, researchers studied different warning types. The first warning type uses urgent language about immediate dangers and losses (e.g., “DANGER! Stop this transfer NOW. A scammer is going to steal your money.”). This reduces scams by 62.3%. The second kind of warning provides advice such as “Check and confirm the order before paying.” and informs users about how scammers work. Scams are reduced by 45.8%. ( ④ ) People should check unexpected calls from governments or banks by calling official numbers to confirm they are real. Requests to keep things secret are often a warning sign of danger. When scammed, report it to the police immediately. More importantly, recognizing warning signs early is the best prevention.
Which number indicates the most appropriate place to insert the following sentence? “Since scammers use many tricks to cheat people, recognizing warning signs is important for preventing scams.”
- A ①
- B ②
- C ③
- D ④