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Steam Video Game Platform Scams Steam Video Game Platform Players Beware - Scams are Everywhere on the Steam Platform Catalog of Scams - A SCARS Institute Insight Authors: • SCARS Institute Encyclopedia of Scams Editorial Team - Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. • Portions from Steam Article Abstract Steam scams come in various forms, targeting users through phishing, impersonation, fraudulent trades, and gift card [...]
Evolution In Pig Butchering Scams A Guest Editorial By Brad Gorka About A New Trend In Scams How Scams Work - A SCARS Insight Inevitable Evolution Of Crypto Pig Butchering Is Here - More Gifts From AI An Editorial By Brad Gorka, Cybersecurity Professional, CISO, and Information Security Leader About Brad Gorka: Provide Value and Be Valued. I do this by building exceptional teams. This means hiring the right people and [...]
SCARS Journalism & Ethical Publishing Standards About RomanceScamsNOW.com A SCARS Policy About SCARS Publishing on RomanceScamsNOW.com Masthead Owner: Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc., a Florida Nonprofit Corporation. Publisher in Chief: Dr. Tim McGuinness, Managing Director, Board Member, and SCARS Officer Press Contact: Debby Montgomery Johnson, Director, Board Member, and SCARS Officer Editorial Advisory Board: Vianey Gonzalez, and others. Corrections We will revise our website and articles as needed [...]
Choices: A Cybersecurity Learning Lesson Guest Editorial by Brett Johnson, SCARS Advisor on Cybercrime Presented by SCARS Good Choices / Bad Choices Every Victim Understands The Role Choices Play In Their Safety & Security - Sadly Governments Do Not Understand This Still To This Day! In this editorial, Brett Johnson, a member of the SCARS Advisory Board, talks about the choices made by U.S. governments that leave the door [...]
SCARS™ Guest Editorial: Sakawa Boys (Ghanaian Internet Scammer Gangs) By Bernard Vance, an Anti-Scam Warrior About Bernard Vance: Bernard was an old school "scam fighter" online, meaning he and the people he worked with attempted to solve the scamming problem by exposing scammers on social media. He devoted considerable effort to understanding how these scams worked in the hope of finding a solution. Ironically the failure of these groups (many of them are still around) is [...]
SCARS™ Editorial: Commentary On Being Scammed Again 90% Of Scam Survivors Have The Completely Wrong Idea About What It Means To Remain Safe And Avoid Future Scams Partly this is the fault of other so-called anti-scam groups - amateurs or fakes! They propagate the idea that once you learn about scams by looking at an endless stream of stolen photos that you will be immune from being scammed again. Unfortunately, this is also a scam. [...]
SCARS™ Editorial: Let's Talk About Black Vs. White In Scamming Scammers Scam Every Race & Color They really do not care what race or ethnicity you are - you are just money to them! Well, most of the time. BUT IT IS ALMOST INEVITABLE It is almost inevitable that race comes into the conversation when talking about scamming since a majority of it originates with West Africans. Nigerians especially have perfected their models and have [...]
SCARS™ Editorial: Are We Not All Tired Of The Outrage!? What Is Wrong With People Sometimes? [lwptoc] Don't We Have Enough Rage And Hate In The World? When you are interacting with Scam Victims, the answer is always no. Because rage knows no limits When someone goes through the trauma of being a romance scam victim, after the shock and initial denial comes the anger. Anger at themselves, the scammer, the government, the money [...]
SCARS™ EDITORIAL: POWER & EVIL Today is May Day A day to celebrate workers around the world, but also the international call for help! MAYDAY! Just remember this ... Scammers seek only one thing. It is not money, it is not sex. It is not expensive cars or jewelry. It is not property or wealth - those are just incidentals. IT IS POWER. SCAMMERS SEEK POWER! Power over their situation. Power over other people (victims). [...]
A SCARS™ Guest Editorial By Catherine Saori Usui The following is a Guest Editorial by Catherine Saori Usui - an Anti-Scam Victims Advocate living in Japan, A Professional Support Services Provider, An Aspiring Author, and A Romance Scam Survivor. Catherine plays a role in directly helping scam victims to recover, and is active in helping to build awareness of romance scams in Japan. She is also a member of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship [...]
SCARS™ Editorial: Amateur Facebook Anti-Scammers WARNING: SO-CALLED REPORT SCAMMER PAGES/GROUPS ON FACEBOOK [lwptoc] It Seems Like ... It seems like every minute someone creates another Facebook page or starts a group on Facebook about scammers. At least 5 were created just this morning! They all claim to be instant experts. Many claim that THEY are the place to report scams. Some even claim they offer mental health services such as Counseling that REQUIRE actual [...]
SCARS™ Editorial: Reporting Scams Is Everyone's Duty Reporting Scams Saves Lives Reporting scams and scammers is more than a duty we all share, it is also how we help other victims avoid scams or escape from scams they are already in. Sadly, most victims will never report their scams out of fear or anger, but it is essential that the world knows! That was the reason by SCARS and its partners invested in the creation [...]
SCARS™ Editorial: Remembering The Fallen - Past RSN Staff Over The Years We Have Had Many Team Members Work For Us Helping Victims. Some asked who is behind SCARS & RSN. So here is the short answer (made long). RSN was a corporation, and until July 2017 was a subsidiary of one of the related companies called PerfectReputations® (www.PerfectReputations.com ») owned by Dr. McGuinness, co-founder of such companies as TigerDirect » (originally called BLOC Development and others. [...]
SCARS™ Guest Editorial: Talking Law With Ivie Omoregie - What the Law Says About Yahoo Yahoo A Nigerian's View Of Scamming And The Harm It Does To Nigeria By Ivie Omoregie, Reprinted from BellaNaija.com A few weeks ago, the good people of Good Citizen Nigeria invited me on their platform to speak about the laws regulating Advance Fee Fraud (Yahoo Yahoo) and the negative impact it has had on Nigeria’s international image. Talking Law With Ivie Omoregie [...]
RSN™ Editorial: An Open Letter To The Press About Romance Scams Isn't It Astounding? Here we have a multi US$Billion industry running wild scamming anyone they want - literally millions of victims worldwide. Spreading from West Africa to Indonesia and Malaysia, from Russia to China, out of control. We used to be lucky if we got an arrest a month worldwide, but of course, now we are seeing large numbers of scammers being arrested. Yet, [...]
RSN™ Editorial: A Week Of Insanity We believe there is a war going on between the side that wants fairness in our public media, and the socialists that want AN "ANYTHING GOES" witch hunt on every topic and no law enforcement and for everyone to be a victim. Do You Think That Is Too Far-Fetched? Consider, that during the entirety of the Obama administration they made almost no effort to control online crime. They, in [...]
RSN™ Editorial: Don't Waste Your Money On Private Detectives Scam Victim Advisory - Investigative Scams & Wasting Your Money There is a Private Investigation company called Trustify that is taking the money of scam victims to confirm that, yes, they are being scammed. Unfortunately, there are many investigative services that are only too happy to take your money. After all, you are desperate. You have sent money to your scammer. You have fallen in love [...]
RSN™ Editorial: Civil Rights - Term Abuse Many Victims And Their Friends Or Family Tell Us That Scammers Violated Their Civil Rights - Did They? They Also Tell Us They Hate The Current American Administration, And Specifically U.S. President Donald Trump Because Of "Civil Rights!" What Does That Even Mean? As a political activist and nongovernmental advocacy organization we deal with the United States government frequently, we were in a two-hour call with the Department [...]
SCARS™ Editorial: Call It What It Is! Abusing Words Abuses Victims Unintentionally! Over the years helping victims of real scams, we constantly see people (including victims) throwing around the term SCAM and SCAMMING for the most inaccurate purposes. Not everything you don't like is a scam. As "Scam Victims" you especially have to be careful about using the word "scammed." This is something very specific, just like rape. Yes, there is a multitude of scams [...]
Editorial: Should You Try To Find Out The Real Name For Your Scammer? That is the question: Is it better know the real name for your scammer? This is a serious question for most victims. You want revenge. You want justice. How can you get that without knowing who to accuse, right? WRONG First off, you were probably not scammed by just one person. Scammers work in teams, and they take shifts. Someone is always on [...]
Editorial: What Is The Answer To Scamming? The first thing we all need to understand is that there are practical limits to what can be done right now. The answer to scammers is not arresting them, any more than the answer to immigration is not deporting them all. Some yes, but not all. The Answer Is A Process Of Change Anti-Scam Groups do some good. (at least the good ones do). They educate, they inform, they [...]
Editorial: What Are We To Do? For over 26 years the scammers were gaining ground. In fact, scams went up by at least 50% each and every year - in some years it doubled. Let's Be Very Clear We Are In A War Against Online Scams! Online scammers are able to operate with impunity throughout Africa, and in many other countries, without fear or prosecution. This War Against Online Scams leaves a million casualties a [...]
RSN™ Editorial: End The Hate - - - - - ATTACKING THE INNOCENT - - - - - We have just seen an example of what happens when trolls act on their hatred instead of understanding the issues and real parties responsible. In London, it appears, a man so filled with hate, that he is indistinguishable from the terrorists he hates, engaged in an act of terrorism himself. Our hearts go out to the real [...]
RSN EDITORIAL (IN ENGLISH Y ESPAÑOL) IS IT TIME FOR A DECLARATION OF WAR? Yesterday, we finally saw clearly who we are fighting, didn't we? It is one thing to bomb innocent people in airports and city streets, but what parent now doesn't feel in their gut the danger to our children? Why are WE commenting on this you ask? Because, as we have reported for YEARS, it is all connected! African scamming started in [...]
ABOUT OUR SCAMMING SOCIETY We recently posted about a welfare abuse scam in New Orleans (see the newspaper clip or click here), but it is not just about that one scam, it is about all scams in reality. These kinds of scams were engineered to happen by people that cared only about their own vanity and vainglorious prestige. Just like the romance scams and other kinds of online fraud we see every second now. When [...]
United States Scam Center Strike Force As Promised - President Trump Has Created the New United States Scam Center Strike Force Law Enforcement Action - A SCARS Institute Insight Authors: • SCARS Institute Encyclopedia of Scams Editorial Team - Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. • Portions by the United States Government Article Abstract The United States Trump Administration has kept its [...]
SCARS Institute's New Survivor Community: www.SCARScommunity.org ❤️ SCARS Institute Commentary on Facebook Primary Category: SCARS Institute Announcements Author: • SCARS Institute Encyclopedia of Scams Editorial Team - Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. ❤️ SCARS Institute Commentary on Facebook Social media platforms like Facebook, while intended to connect people and facilitate communication, have become increasingly unsuitable for providing support and healing for scam survivors. This [...]
New United Nations UNODC Report on Corruption and Cybercrime Corruption - Cybercrime Feedback Loop: How Bribery, Complicity, and Digital Tools Supercharge Transnational Fraud Criminology - A SCARS Institute Insight Authors: • SCARS Institute Encyclopedia of Scams Editorial Team - Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. • Portions by the UNODC Article Abstract Corruption and cybercrime form a mutually reinforcing system that lowers [...]
SCARS Institute - 12 Years of Service to Scam Victims/Survivors - 2025/2026 A Decade and Beyond of Dedication to Scam Victims and Survivors A SCARS Institute Insight Author: • SCARS Institute Encyclopedia of Scams Editorial Team - Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Article Abstract The SCARS Institute, celebrating its 12th year, stands as a global leader in supporting scam victims, offering [...]
Cybercrime Losses Pass US$9.5 Trillion Dollars in 2024 - Per Cybersecurity Ventures Striking New Data from Cybersecurity Ventures shows that Cybercrime has exceeded US$9.5 Trillion Dollars in 2024 Crime Analysis / Criminology - A SCARS Institute Insight Authors: • SCARS Institute Encyclopedia of Scams Editorial Team - Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. • Portions by Cybersecurity Ventures and MasterCard Article Abstract [...]
Student Tuition Payment Phishing Scams Catalog of Scams - A SCARS Institute Insight Author: • SCARS Institute Encyclopedia of Scams Editorial Team - Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Article Abstract Student tuition payment phishing scams target students and families during billing cycles by imitating university finance offices and loan servicers, pushing victims to fake portals that harvest logins and payment data. [...]
Victor Lustig - The Classic Con Man Victor Lustig: the Con Artist Who Sold the Eiffel Tower and Outfoxed Al Capone Bio of a Fraudster - A SCARS Institute Insight Authors: • SCARS Institute Encyclopedia of Scams Editorial Team - Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. • Vianey Gonzalez B.Sc(Psych) – Psychologist, Certified Deception Professional, Psychology Advisory Panel & Director of the Society of Citizens Against [...]
According to Recent Research, Americans are Targeted by Scams More than Any Other Country Americans Get Twice as Many Scam Calls as Everyone Else Criminology / Scam Analysis - A SCARS Institute Insight Authors: • SCARS Institute Encyclopedia of Scams Editorial Team - Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. • Portions by Talker Research Article Abstract People now face a rising tide [...]
Russia/Ukraine Cybercriminal Profile - Scammers & Fraudsters Criminal Profile: Typical Russian/Ukrainian Online Cybercriminal/Scammer/Fraudster Criminology / Cybercriminal Profiles - A SCARS Institute Insight Author: • SCARS Institute Encyclopedia of Scams Editorial Team - Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Article Abstract A typical Russian or Ukrainian online scammer is described as a tech-savvy adult, commonly male and between 20 and 40, operating from loose [...]
FBI Warning - IC3.gov Government Impersonation IC3.gov Impersonation: The Rising Threat of Law Enforcement & Government Impersonation Scams Scampedia - Catalog of Scams - A SCARS Institute Insight Author: • SCARS Institute Encyclopedia of Scams Editorial Team - Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. • Portions by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) IC3.gov division Article Abstract Government impersonation scams [...]
Cash-For-Play Smartphone Games - Are They Scams? Exploring Cash-for-Play Smartphone Games: Scams, Legitimate Options, and How to Spot the Difference How Scams Work - A SCARS Institute Insight Author: • SCARS Institute Encyclopedia of Scams Editorial Team - Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Article Abstract Cash-for-play smartphone games captivate users with the promise of earning real money through engaging gameplay, yet [...]
Identifying Fake Crypto Investments (Pig Butchering Scams) - 2025 Edition Spotting Fake Crypto “Investments” (Pig-Butchering): A Practical Guide How Scams Work - A SCARS Institute Insight Author: • SCARS Institute Encyclopedia of Scams Editorial Team - Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc Article Abstract Pig-butchering scams start as friendship or romance and pivot into “wealth coaching” on a rigged platform that displays [...]
Identifying Fake U.S. Soldiers - 2025 Techniques to Spot Fake Soldiers How Scams Work - A SCARS Institute Insight Author: • SCARS Institute Encyclopedia of Scams Editorial Team - Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Article Abstract Scammers continue to impersonate U.S., Canadian, U.K., and European soldiers to manufacture trust, push secrecy and urgency, and extract money through gift cards, crypto, “leave” [...]
Avoid Disaster & Charity Scams Protecting Generosity: How to Avoid Charity Scams Catalog of Scams - A SCARS Institute Insight Authors: • SCARS Institute Encyclopedia of Scams Editorial Team - Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. • Portions from National Cybersecurity Alliance PLEASE NOTE: Because of the rampant number of charity scams, the SCARS Institute no longer accepts individual donations. [...]
A New Scam - My Photos Money Recovery Scam A New Kind of Social Media Money Recovery Scam or Scam Victim Assistance Scam The Rise of "Scam Savior" Scams: A New Layer of Deception on Social Media How Scams Work // Catalog of Scams - A SCARS Institute Insight Author: • SCARS Institute Encyclopedia of Scams Editorial Team - Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. [...]
Commission-Based Task Job Scams Understanding the Hidden Mechanism of Commission-Based Task Job Scams Catalog of Scams - A SCARS Institute Insight Author: • SCARS Institute Encyclopedia of Scams Editorial Team - Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Article Abstract Commission-based task job scams exploit the appeal of easy remote work by offering small payments for simple online actions before introducing “premium” tasks [...]
The Danger of Scams - 6 Ways Scams Can Hurt You What Are the Dangers from Scams and Scammers? A Practical Guide for Your Online and Physical Safety Online Safety // Cybersecurity - A SCARS Institute Insight Author: • SCARS Institute Encyclopedia of Scams Editorial Team - Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Article Abstract Scammers pose far greater risks than just [...]
Bitcoin ATMs - A Scammers' Favorite Tool & Public Menace Are Bitcoin ATMs Doing More Harm Than Good? How Scams Work - A SCARS Institute Insight Author: • SCARS Institute Encyclopedia of Scams Editorial Team - Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Article Abstract Bitcoin ATMs began as a tool for financial inclusion but now serve as a key instrument in a [...]
Smartphone Ads: Scams and Abuse - Interstitial Ads are Designed to Manipulate and Deceive How Interstitial Smartphone Ads Turn into Mobile Scamware and Abuse Cellphone Users How Scams Work // Catalog of Scams - A SCARS Institute Insight Author: • SCARS Institute Encyclopedia of Scams Editorial Team - Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Article Abstract Many mobile phone users unknowingly face [...]
Carl Sagan’s Baloney Detection Toolkit Scam Detection: The Fine Art of Scam Awareness and Avoidance Based on Carl Sagan’s Baloney Detection Toolkit Scam & Deception Avoidance - A SCARS Institute Insight Authors: • SCARS Institute Encyclopedia of Scams Editorial Team - Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. • Based, in part, on and interpreted from the work of Carl Sagan Article Abstract [...]
Passwords vs. Passkeys - The New Reality Securing the Digital Self After a Scam: Why Passkeys Are the Future of Online Safety for Scam Victims and Passwords are Obsolete Online Safety - A SCARS Institute Insight Author: • SCARS Institute Encyclopedia of Scams Editorial Team - Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Article Abstract After a scam, rebuilding digital security is one [...]
Do Not Click 'Unsubscribe' Links in Your Email Think Twice Before You Click ‘Unsubscribe’ - it's a Trap! How Scams Work - A SCARS Institute Insight Author: • SCARS Institute Encyclopedia of Scams Editorial Team - Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Article Abstract You probably think clicking “unsubscribe” is a smart way to clean up your inbox, but that small action can create bigger [...]
University Ghost Students Scam AI-Powered ‘Ghost Students’ Scam Exploit Government & University Financial Aid System and Scams both Students and Universities How Scams Work - A SCARS Institute Insight Author: • SCARS Institute Encyclopedia of Scams Editorial Team - Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Article Abstract A new wave of financial aid fraud is targeting community colleges across the United States through the use [...]
ICE Impersonators - New Extortion Scam Targeting Illegal Aliens in the U.S. The Deportation Threat: ICE Impersonators Engaged in a New Extortion Scam Targeting Undocumented Hispanic Immigrants in the U.S. How Scams Work - A SCARS Institute Insight Author: • SCARS Institute Encyclopedia of Scams Editorial Team - Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Article Abstract A dangerous new ICE Importsonators Extortion Scam is targeting [...]
Buried Cell Phones/Smartphones & Hidden Cameras New Cybercrime - Cyber Surveillance by Local Criminals The Emergence of Covert Surveillance in Residential Areas How Cybercriminals Operate - A SCARS Institute Insight Author: • SCARS Institute Encyclopedia of Scams Editorial Team - Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Article Abstract A chilling new cybercrime emerges. People around the U.S. unearth buried cell phones and hidden cameras in [...]
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