In every case of email-related fraud, the critical factor is whether the recipients of scam email believe in the authenticity of the request. In many cases, such as with vendor payment scams and scams where personal real estate transactions are misdirected, theft is possible precisely because, at their core, the transactions are real and expected. It is the circumstances around those
transactions that have been altered to confuse the legitimate parties involved. This is where the term social engineering is derived.
