The common thread.
WHY URGENCY IS USED
It prevents verification.
Someone who takes an hour to check does not fall for it.
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE
Payment needed today A deal that expires A supplier threatening to stop supply An emergency involving someone you know A limited opportunity
WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU FEEL PRESSURED
Stop.
Legitimate business rarely requires a decision within minutes.
THE RULE
The more urgent the request, the more verification it warrants.
That is the opposite of the instinct urgency creates.
WHAT TO TELL STAFF
That no request is too urgent to verify That they will never be criticised for delaying to check That you will never pressure them to bypass procedure
THAT LAST POINT MATTERS
If staff believe you would be angry at a delay, they skip verification.
Say explicitly that you would not.
WHAT LEGITIMATE PARTIES ACCEPT
A verification call.
Anyone who objects to being verified is a warning.
