How do fraudsters use social engineering to gain access to sensitive information?

Fraudsters use social engineering to steal sensitive information by manipulating individuals into disclosing confidential data or performing actions that compromise security. Common methods include phishing emails, pretexting, baiting, tailgating, and pretext calling. Phishing emails are disguised as legitimate messages to trick recipients into sharing personal details or clicking on malicious links. Pretexting involves creating a fabricated scenario to gather information from unsuspecting individuals. Baiting involves leaving malware-infected devices or storage media in the hope that someone will use them and compromise their data. Tailgating refers to unauthorized individuals following someone into a secure area, while pretext calling utilizes deception over the phone to extract sensitive information.