Problems of Countering Social Engineering Technologies as an Element of Criminal Activity

The article examines the problems of countering social engineering technologies as an element of criminal activity and suggests ways to solve them. The circumstances that cause an increased public danger of criminal activity, the method of which is social engineering technologies, have been identified. Among these circumstances, the following are investigated: the variability and diversity of methods used by criminals to commit socially dangerous acts and harm the victim; the reasons for the high latency of these crimes; the high prevalence of such crimes in various areas of criminal activity, especially related to the use of information and telecommunication networks and IT technologies. A range of problems is described, the solution of which will increase the effectiveness of countering crimes, the methods of which are social engineering. Among the identified problems are: the lack of terminological certainty; the lack of “information hygiene” among most citizens; insufficient consideration of the psychological characteristics of the target victim as a victim factor that determines the choice of specific methods of social engineering in relation to this victim. The article analyzes the activities of law enforcement agencies for the prevention of crimes, the method of which is social engineering, in order to increase the effectiveness of combating them. The potential possibilities of increasing the victimological safety of “risk groups” from crimes committed using “manipulative” information systems and methods are revealed.