6 Minute English
ระดับกลาง
Are you at risk from online fraud?
Episode 190725 / 25 Jul 2019

Introduction
Fraud - the criminal activity of getting money by deceiving people - is a big issue. Clever and complicated scams can trick us into handing over lots of cash. Sam and Rob discuss the methods criminals use, hear from some experts and teach some honest fraud-related vocabulary.
This week's question
According to UK Finance – an organisation that represents the British banking industry – how much money did criminals steal through fraud and scams last year? Was it…
a) £1.2m
b) £120m
c) £1.2bn
The answer is given at the end of the programme.
Vocabulary
fraud
the criminal activity of getting money by deceiving people
scam
illegal or dishonest way of making money by tricking someone
fall for (something)
believe (something), that is a trick or a lie, to be true
sleight of hand
use of clever skill to gain something dishonestly
rifle
search something in order to steal from it
phishing
tricking someone by email or online to get their personal data by pretending to be from your bank
sophisticated
clever and often complicated
Transcript
Note: This is not a word for word transcript
Sam
Hello, I’m Sam and welcome to 6 Minute English. This is the programme where in just six minutes we discuss an interesting topic and teach some related English vocabulary. Joining me to do this is Rob.
Rob
Hello. And today we’re talking about fraud.
Sam
Fraud is the criminal activity of getting money by deceiving people – or tricking people by doing something dishonest.
Rob
There are many ways to do this – and much of it is happening online these days.
Sam
We’ll talk more about this in a moment. But first, a very honest quiz question for you to answer, Rob. According to UK Finance – an organisation that represents the British banking industry – how much money did criminals steal through fraud and scams last year? Was it…
a) £1.2m
b) £120m, or
c) £1.2bn?
Rob
Well, I imagine it’s quite a lot – so I’ll say £120m.
Sam
We'll find out if you're right later in the programme. Now, I just mentioned the word scam, which is an illegal way of making money by tricking someone. We may think that we’ll never be scammed, but already millions of people have fallen for fake emails, phone calls or letters that look genuine and ask us to give or update our financial details.
Rob
To fall for means to believe something that is a trick or a lie, to be true. This year, for example, thousands of people in the UK fell for a fraudulent – or fake – email, requesting that people update their direct debit details for paying their TV licence. That's a payment we have to make in the UK to fund the BBC.
Sam
This is something the BBC Radio 4 programme, You and Yours, has been discussing. Its BBC Fraud investigator reporter, Shari Vahl, explained why it was easy to be deceived…
Shari Vahl, BBC Fraud investigator reporter
It's a sleight of hand fraud. The criminals get you to look over there whilst they rifle your pockets and I have the email here and it looks completely convincing. All the right logos, all the right fonts. It just says that my direct debit on my TV licence has failed and I need to pay it. It’s very polite.
Sam
So some great language there. She said that this scam was a sleight of hand fraud. Sleight of hand means the use of clever skill to gain something dishonestly – in this case, money.
Rob
As Shari said, the criminals get you to, metaphorically, look over there whilst they rifle your pockets. Rifle means search something in order to steal from it – so to steal from your pocket – very dishonest!
Sam
Now, like in this case, fraudsters – the people who commit fraud – gained financial information by phishing. That’s not fishing using a rod, line and hook, but by sending an email that looked like it came from your bank, asking for confidential information.
Rob
But banks do warn us not to give away our financial details online and to change our passwords regularly.
Sam
But sometimes criminals are very clever in what they do and it’s easy to be fooled. The You and Yours programme also heard about this from social engineer, Jenny Radcliffe. What does she call this type of fraud?
Jenny Radcliffe, social engineer
The more sophisticated frauds are ones that have been thought through very carefully. And this has been thought through. It’s a fraud that can be layered so you know we're getting some information from you. What you really look for is a window into someone - a key that unlocks just a small part of their identity or their personal data and from that a good fraud will build and build and build on it until the consequences to some people can be completely devastating.
Rob
So Jenny Radcliffe is talking about sophisticated fraud. That means it’s clever and often complicated – so it can confuse us.
Sam
Yes, criminals need just a small piece of information about us – a key – that can eventually open up our identity and expose our personal data.
Rob
And as Jenny says, for victims of fraud the consequences – the outcome – can be very bad. Especially if somebody loses all their hard-earned savings – it can devastating.
Sam
Of course banks and security companies are working hard to beat the criminals but it still remains a problem and earlier I asked you, Rob. According to UK Finance, how much money did criminal steal through fraud and scams last year?
Rob
And I said b) £120m. That’s a lot of money.
Sam
It is but it’s even more. In 2018, criminals successfully stole £1.2 billion through fraud and scams – and that’s just in the UK – globally it’s even more.
Rob
Well, it certainly is a serious issue but hopefully we haven’t deceived you with the vocabulary we’ve discussed today.
Sam
Hopefully not! We’ve been talking about fraud – that’s the criminal activity of getting money by deceiving people – or tricking people by doing something dishonest.
Rob
Next we had scam - which is an illegal or dishonest way of making money by tricking someone. The people who do it are scammers.
Sam
We talked about the phrasal verb fall for. When you fall for something you believe something that is a trick or a lie, to be true.
Rob
Then we heard about sleight of hand which means use of clever skill to gain something dishonestly. And rifle, which means search something in order to steal from it.
Sam
Phishing, spelt with a ph, means tricking someone by email or online to get their personal data by pretending to be from your bank. Finally, we discussed sophisticated fraud. When something is sophisticated, it’s clever and often complicated.
Rob
Unlike our programme, Sam!
Sam
Let’s hope so but now, we’ve reached the end of the programme.
Rob
See you again soon. Bye!
Sam
Bye.
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Episode 150514 / 14 May 2015
Fifty years ago, on 18 March 1965, Soviet astronaut Alexei Leonov took the first space walk. Listen to Rob and Neil describing the struggles of that ground-breaking space mission whilst explaining some related vocabulary.
Wireless furniture for phones
Episode 150507 / 07 May 2015
Furniture with built-in wireless charging technology - like a coffee table is now being sold. 'Built-in' means the technology is included as part of the table. So you just pop your phone on the table, and technology does the rest!
Saving China's elephants
Episode 150430 / 30 Apr 2015
Many animals face extinction. But people are realising that they must act now to stop further losses. A scheme to save the Asian elephant in China could provide an answer.
Life without music
Episode 150423 / 23 Apr 2015
How does music make you feel? Research shows that it actually influences us more than we realise - whether we're at the movies, the supermarket, or down the pub
The story behind coffee
Episode 150416 / 16 Apr 2015
Coffee is now the most popular drink in the world. But what about the economics and politics of coffee production? It's as complicated as getting the right flavour in your cup
The sun
Episode 150409 / 09 Apr 2015
Rob and Neil put on their sunglasses to find out more about this special star and teach some related vocabulary. We promise you won’t be blinded with science!
The three-parent baby
Episode 150402 / 02 Apr 2015
The UK has become the first country to approve legislation allowing the creation of babies with genetic material from three people. Listen to Neil and Harry’s conversation and learn some related vocabulary.
A threat to London's artwork?
Episode 150326 / 26 Mar 2015
What are some art galleries banning to protect their paintings? Find out with Neil and Harry
Human microchips
Episode 150319 / 19 Mar 2015
An electronic device under your skin?! Workers in Sweden take part in experiment which allows them to get in and out of their office without a key, ID or password. Listen to Neil and Harry’s chat and learn some related vocabulary.
The two sides of Churchill
Episode 150312 / 12 Mar 2015
This year marks the 50th anniversary of Winston Churchill’s death. He is known throughout the world for his role in defeating Nazi Germany but he also made mistakes. Listen to Neil and Mike’s discussion, and learn new vocabulary.
Poverty in a rich world
Episode 150305 / 05 Mar 2015
We live in a richer world. But the gap between rich and poor is still very wide in individual countries. How to change this? Listen to Rob and Harry’s discussion, and learn some related vocabulary.
The cost of life-saving vaccines
Episode 150226 / 26 Feb 2015
The price of vaccines has escalated and some poor countries are struggling to prevent children from catching certain life-threatening diseases, says Medecins Sans Frontieres. Listen to Rob and Neil’s discussion, and learn some related vocabulary.
Do you fear Artificial Intelligence?
Episode 150219 / 19 Feb 2015
Will thinking computers be the end of humans? Listen to Rob and Neil’s chat and learn some related vocabulary.
Should tourists go to Antarctica?
Episode 150212 / 12 Feb 2015
About 37,000 tourists are expected to visit Antarctica this season. But should they be going to a region with such a sensitive environment? Listen to Rob and Neil’s conversation and learn some new vocabulary.
Does your CV shine?
Episode 150205 / 05 Feb 2015
At a time when more people compete for fewer jobs, are you sure you present your skills and abilities well to a potential employer? Listen to Rob and Neil's conversation and learn some related vocabulary.
Are you big on small talk?
Episode 150129 / 29 Jan 2015
Going to a party where you don't know anyone? Listen to Rob and Neil's advice and learn some related vocabulary
Are computers making us dumb?
Episode 150122 / 22 Jan 2015
We use computers for everything nowadays. Are we forgetting our own abilities - and losing our talent? Listen to Rob and Neil's discussion, and learn some related vocabulary
Smokers to face one more ban
Episode 150115 / 15 Jan 2015
Smoking in cars with children might be banned in England. Listen to Neil and Rob's chat and learn some related vocabulary
Bullying or normal competition?
Episode 150108 / 08 Jan 2015
Is bullying just an attempt to give a bad name to what is part of human nature? Listen to Rob and Neil’s chat and learn some related vocabulary.
Time capsules
Episode 150101 / 01 Jan 2015
What would you put in your time capsule? Listen to Rob and Neil’s chat and learn new vocabulary
The Christmas Truce
Episode 141225 / 25 Dec 2014
When enemy soldiers sang together in WW1. Listen to Rob and Finn’s chat and learn some related vocabulary.
42 languages
Episode 141218 / 18 Dec 2014
The London school where students speak 42 different languages
Laughter is bad for you
Episode 141211 / 11 Dec 2014
Laughter isn't always the best medicine, says research
Cloud of suspicion
Episode 141204 / 04 Dec 2014
Are your pictures, documents and videos safe online? Listen to Rob and Finn's chat and learn new vocabulary
Sharing economy
Episode 141127 / 27 Nov 2014
Nowhere to park? How the sharing economy is changing the way we use our space
Can science fiction save the world?
Episode 141120 / 20 Nov 2014
How can science fiction help the world? Rob and Finn discuss a project which aims to inspire through stories of a bright future
What makes a superhero?
Episode 141106 / 06 Nov 2014
Do real-life superheroes exist or are they just cartoon characters?
Cigarettes v e-cigarettes
Episode 141030 / 30 Oct 2014
Rob and Finn discuss the World Health Organisation's recommendations on e-cigarettes
The bitter taste of sugar
Episode 141023 / 23 Oct 2014
Should we eat less sugar? Listen to Rob and Neil and learn new vocabulary
How quickly can you learn English?
Episode 141016 / 16 Oct 2014
Is learning English getting easier? Find out what's new
Food waste
Episode 141009 / 09 Oct 2014
Why do we buy so much food and not eat it all? Learn more about food waste
Sleeping on the job
Episode 141002 / 02 Oct 2014
Is it right to sleep at work? Rob and Finn discuss the benefits of sleeping on the job.
The fame game
Episode 140929 / 29 Sep 2014
Is the way we see famous people a new thing? Learn about the first 'modern celebrity'.
Dealing with boredom
Episode 140821 / 21 Aug 2014
Bored? You're not alone. Rob and Finn discuss how to deal with boredom and teach some related vocabulary. We promise you won't be bored!
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DAILY VIDEO - animal idioms!
