South Africa will be participating in the signing ceremony, a 'historic milestone' in the global fight against cybercrime.
Cybercriminals are not only using fear and urgency to exploit their victims, but positive emotions, such as empathy, curiosity, and a desire to help, are also being exploited in the pursuit of cybercrime.
This Cybersecurity Awareness Month, an expert has warned of a dangerous shift: scammers are now “Hacking Kindness” by exploiting empathy, a desire to help, and cultural values like ubuntu.
Positive emotion
The warning comes on the back of Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Mmamoloko Kubayi’s visit to Vietnam for a high-level conference of the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime.
Cybercriminals are now weaponising positive emotion to override critical thinking
An Interpol report in June revealed that cybercrime now accounts for more than 30% of all reported crime in West and East Africa, and is increasing sharply elsewhere on the continent, including South Africa.
Emotional manipulation
Anna Collard, SVP of Content Strategy and CISO Advisor at KnowBe4 Africa, said emotional manipulation is a common tactic in social engineering used by cybercriminals.
“We have all heard about their fear-based tactics or scams using a sense of urgency, but scammers also focus on positive feelings, like compassion and love, to try to take advantage of their victims.”
For example, “they create fake fundraisers or charities involving children, the elderly, or natural disasters to trigger immediate compassionate responses,” she comments.
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“These scams are then backed up by fake testimonials to encourage participation, as well as deepfake videos or AI-generated content showing the supposed impact of their charitable work.”
Scams
Collard warned that emotional content, both negative and positive, is effective in manipulation.
“Fear-based scams remain highly effective – urgency and panic consistently work because they trigger fight-or-flight responses, create time pressure or exploit our fear of losing something. However, positive emotions also lower our defences,” Collard asserts.
“When people feel good about helping others, they’re less likely to question whether something is a scam. Research shows that the ‘warm glow’ effect from helping others can temporarily lower our critical thinking because we rely more on mental shortcuts rather than analysis.”
Precautions
Collard advises individuals to be cautious but not cynical about cybercriminals.
“It’s important to take a moment to verify before you donate,” she said. She recommends using independent online resources to verify charitable organisations and causes.
In addition, she recommends creating a 24- to 48-hour pause rule for any financial decisions that involve emotional appeals.
“Especially when it involves charity, helping someone or potential investment opportunities. These transactions need to be made with a clear, level-headed mind and not emotionally. It’s also a good idea to discuss potential donations or investments with trusted friends or family members,” she says.
“Use secure, traceable payment methods rather than cash transfers, cryptocurrency or prepaid cards.”
Organisations
Collard said that for organisations running security awareness training, it’s important to help employees recognise emotional manipulation techniques, not just technical threats, as a key component of human risk management.
She suggests including scenarios involving charity scams, fake volunteer opportunities, and community investment fraud.
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“The training should emphasise that verification is caring, not cynicism.”
Empathy
Collard advises that it’s crucial to approach victims of romance scams and pig-butchering schemes with empathy rather than judgment, as these scams create genuine emotional dependence through sophisticated psychological manipulation.
“Victims often form real emotional bonds with their abusers,” Collard explains, “so asking someone to ‘just stop talking to them’ is like asking someone to end a relationship they believe is loving and supportive. They need time, patience, and often professional support to rebuild their ability to trust their own judgment.”
Collard believes it’s important not to grow cynical about cybercrime and cybercriminals.
“Cybersecurity awareness is about defending your ability to genuinely help others,” Collard advises. “Being security-conscious protects both you and legitimate causes and enables more effective, sustainable giving.”
Cybercrime conference
Meanwhile, the high-level conference of the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime, scheduled to take place from 25 to 26 October 2025 in Hanoi, will be attended by over 80 countries.
Adopted by the UN General Assembly in December 2024, the Convention is the first-ever global treaty to address the growing scourge of cybercrime.
It provides States with measures to prevent and combat cybercrime, strengthens international cooperation, and facilitates the sharing of electronic evidence concerning serious crimes.
Historic milestone for SA
Kubayi’s spokesperson, Terrence Manase, said South Africa is pleased to participate in the signing ceremony, a “historic milestone” in the global fight against cybercrime.
“Recognising that cyber threats transcend borders, South Africa will call for collective action, technical assistance, and inclusive multilateral cooperation to safeguard citizens, critical infrastructure, and developmental gains.
“Furthermore, South Africa will also utilise the opportunity to encourage all Member States to sign the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime and take the necessary steps toward ratification to ensure its timely entry into force,” Manase said.
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