New Research Study on Stolen Valor – Military ScamsScams A Scam is a confidence trick - a crime -  is an attempt to defraud a person or group after first gaining their trust through deception. Scams or confidence tricks exploit victims using their credulity, naïveté, compassion, vanity, irresponsibility, or greed and exploiting that. Researchers have defined confidence tricks as "a distinctive species of fraudulent conduct ... intending to further voluntary exchanges that are not mutually beneficial", as they "benefit con operators ('con men' - criminals) at the expense of their victims (the 'marks')". A scam is a crime even if no money was lost.

A Research Study by Tyleen Caffrey
Worden School of Social Service,
Our Lady of the Lake University

SCARSSCARS SCARS - Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. A government registered crime victims' assistance & crime prevention nonprofit organization based in Miami, Florida, U.S.A. SCARS supports the victims of scams worldwide and through its partners in more than 60 countries around the world. Incorporated in 2015, its team has 30 years of continuous experience educating and supporting scam victims. Visit www.AgainstScams.org to learn more about SCARS. has verified the validity and integrity of this research project.

CONFIDENTIAL & PRIVATE

This study is completely private and confidential. It does not require your name! No one will know who you are.

SCARS is proud to be supporting a significant study on the extent and impact of Solten Valor.

A MIXED-METHODS STUDY OF STOLEN VALOR AND MILITARY IMPOSTERS: THE IMPACT OF DECEPTION

This study is completely confidential and private – your identity will never appear or be shared.

This study will better help to identify the impact of fake soldier scams and online deception associated with the use of stolen identities of U.S. Military Personnel.

You are invited to take part in this research study.

The information in this form is meant to help you decide whether or not you qualify to take part.

If you have any questions, please ask at  stolenvalor@AgainstScams.org

What is the reason for doing this research study?

Military imposters falsely claiming to have performed military service or claiming to have served in a different compacity than their actual assignment is not a new phenomenon; however, it continues to be an ongoing problem with increased victimizationVictimization Victimization (or victimization) is the process of being victimized or becoming a victim. The field that studies the process, rates, incidence, effects, and prevalence of victimization is called victimology.. This is especially true with military impersonationImpersonation An impersonator is someone who imitates or copies the behavior or actions of another. There are many reasons for impersonating someone, such as: part of a criminal act such as identity theft, online impersonation scam, or other fraud. This is usually where the criminal is trying to assume the identity of another, in order to commit fraud, such as accessing confidential information or to gain property not belonging to them. Also known as social engineering and impostors. romance scams!

While the motivations for posing as a member of the military or exaggerating one’s service recovery, the intent is almost always about gaining the respect and admiration of others. A spike in military imposters arose post 9-11 as it allowed a new generation of stolen valor and military imposters to fake being a military hero to scamScam A Scam is a confidence trick - a crime -  is an attempt to defraud a person or group after first gaining their trust through deception. Scams or confidence tricks exploit victims using their credulity, naïveté, compassion, vanity, irresponsibility, or greed and exploiting that. Researchers have defined confidence tricks as "a distinctive species of fraudulent conduct ... intending to further voluntary exchanges that are not mutually beneficial", as they "benefit con operators ('con men' - criminals) at the expense of their victims (the 'marks')". A scam is a crime even if no money was lost. others.

Stolen Valor can manifest in many different ways:

• Exaggerating military service or awards received.
• Falsifying military service when someone never served.
• Military impersonation scams – impersonating someone in the military.

The goal of this study is to examine the impact of individuals being deceived by a military imposterImposter An impersonator is someone who imitates or copies the behavior or actions of another. There are many reasons for impersonating someone, such as: part of a criminal act such as identity theft, online impersonation scam, or other fraud. This is usually where the criminal is trying to assume the identity of another, in order to commit fraud, such as accessing confidential information or to gain property not belonging to them. Also known as social engineering and impostors. /deceiver.

To examine the impact of those, the goal is to get at the answers to the following research questions:

• What impact do military imposters have on the individuals they deceive?
• To what extent did the results on the deception’s impact agree with the emergent themes from individual interviews of the victims of military imposters?

This researcher aims to gain a rich understanding of the experiences of individuals deceived by military imposters. The results of this study will be compared to the findings of the previous qualitative research to examine facets of the same phenomenon. This study will introduce this phenomenon as a social problem as it places a burden on society is important in social work practice.

What will be done during this research study?

Information will be collected through this short survey.

This will include asking participants questions to gain a rich understanding of their experiences directly caused by military imposters. The survey will be divided into three categories.

• The first section: is to collect information to provide researchers with an understanding of basic demographics.
• The second section: will assist researchers to understand your direct impact during your interaction with the military imposter.
• The third section: the survey form will ask a series of questions to understand the impact after you learned you were deceived by the military imposter.

This survey should take no longer than 30 minutes to complete. This is completely confidential and your name will never be shared.

You will be first asked to consent to your participation in this confidential study.

Please remember that this is very important to help us all understand the true impact of military impersonation!

Study Survey Form

If you have questions about this research study, here is the contact information for the participants:

• Our Lady of the Lake Institutional Review Board chair Dr. Carmichael at 210-434-6711, ext. 2402, or by email, at  irb@ollusa.edu
• Tyleen Caffrey, doctoral student, at  tecaffrey19fl@ollusa.edu or her faculty advisor, Dr. Shibikom at  afshibikom@ollusa.edu