AN INTEGRATED MODEL OF SOCIAL PREVENTION OF DIGITAL AND TRADITIONAL FRAUD: THE "CIRCLE OF TRUST"

This article examines the theoretical foundations and practical potential of the “Circle of Trust,” an integrated model of social prevention designed to address both digital and traditional fraud. The study explores common socio-psychological mechanisms underlying different forms of fraud, including the abuse of trust, creating a sense of urgency, establishing false authority, exploiting social proof, and restricting victims’ opportunities to consult trusted individuals. Based on these mechanisms, the article proposes a five-tier prevention model that integrates individual resilience, families and mahallas (local self-governing communities), educational institutions, the financial and telecommunications sectors, and government agencies. The scientific novelty of the model lies in its approach to fraud prevention as a continuous, coordinated, and measurable system rather than a collection of isolated awareness-raising activities. Furthermore, organizational mechanisms, preventive recommendations, and performance indicators are developed to support the practical implementation of the proposed model.