SCARS Institute’s Encyclopedia of Scams™ Published Continuously for 25 Years
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Every minute we see visitors to our social media and website enraged against the person they see in the photos. We have had death threats made against webcam/porn girls, and much more.
You HAVE TO UNDERSTAND that this is a large-scale international crime business. This is not some stripper in Miami stealing your money. 99.99% of the time when it is African (even if they have moved to the U.K., India, or Malaysia), it is NOT the person in the photo (with some notable exceptions, such as black men or women in Western Africa – but these are actually few).
One exception are the Russians & Ukrainians – they tend to use their real photos, because there is nothing you can do to them – they think (and mostly are right).
Scammers from the African school steal millions of photos and use them to lure you in. They use photos predicted to generate a response, then engineer the conversation to make you vulnerable.
Stop Hating the people in the photos – it is a waste of energy. Just assume that it is a fake (want proof? look at our “Social Scammers” Facebook Page or our page on the Adult Stars they use Scammers Love Adult Stars)
Your anger and hate works against you, you doubt yourself, you feel guilty and ashamed.
STOP IT – STOP IT NOW!
Get over them, and get over yourself. Focus on the facts: you are a vulnerable human being; you encountered a professional criminal that was better prepared that you were; you can get even, but only by being smart.
How do you get even? Get justice? You really don’t get much, and you need to be satisfied with that. The greatest harm you can do to them is expose them in such a way that other potential victims can see they are a scammer. You have to be satisfied with this most of the time. Sometimes we do get an arrest, and that helps, but not often – this is a societal problem in the developing world, that needs to be educated out of them, not something that happens over night.
So, we are sorry for the “Tough Love” but you need to get over it and move on to do something about this problem.
There is only one solution, properly reporting scammers. Facebook is generally useless for this, unless you follow a page. Google is our Spartan. When a scammer is reported on our website, Google indexes it within minutes. Then when someone searches for that Name, Email, or Phone, it will show up as confirmation that they are a scammer and have been reported.
We do not receive a profit from the work we do. We are funded by an online publishing company to the tune of $15,000 a month. Yes they have ads on their site and make a HUGE few hundred dollars. When people do not report scammers on our website, we have to take time to move them into our archives, and that cuts into other things we can do, such as working with Nigerian and Malaysia Police to arrest scammers.
Information is the enemy of the scammers. Understand it and use it. We provide a free vehicle to collect that information and expose scammers, if you will help us. We provide a huge amount of knowledge about how to detect scammers, who’s photos they steal, and their behaviors. Don’t get caught up in the drama, the scammers just don’t care, and they are right – the drama is entertainment after a certain point. Focus on the information, photos, names, emails, phone numbers – these are the only thing that matter and can be used to hang them!
So dust yourself off. Have a cup of coffee or tee, and declare to the world you are not going to take it any more.
Trust us, we know this works, because we have helped get arrests and expose scammers. We understand your anger, but it doesn’t help you, it just keeps you as a victim – even if you did not loose money, they still took something from you.
With Sincere Empathy,
The Staff of RomanceScamsNow.com
Flare, Anne, John, Tim
-/ 30 /-
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Important Information for New Scam Victims
- Please visit www.ScamVictimsSupport.org – a SCARS Website for New Scam Victims & Sextortion Victims
- Enroll in FREE SCARS Scam Survivor’s School now at www.SCARSeducation.org
- Please visit www.ScamPsychology.org – to more fully understand the psychological concepts involved in scams and scam victim recovery
If you are looking for local trauma counselors please visit counseling.AgainstScams.org or join SCARS for our counseling/therapy benefit: membership.AgainstScams.org
If you need to speak with someone now, you can dial 988 or find phone numbers for crisis hotlines all around the world here: www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines
A Note About Labeling!
We often use the term ‘scam victim’ in our articles, but this is a convenience to help those searching for information in search engines like Google. It is just a convenience and has no deeper meaning. If you have come through such an experience, YOU are a Survivor! It was not your fault. You are not alone! Axios!
A Question of Trust
At the SCARS Institute, we invite you to do your own research on the topics we speak about and publish, Our team investigates the subject being discussed, especially when it comes to understanding the scam victims-survivors experience. You can do Google searches but in many cases, you will have to wade through scientific papers and studies. However, remember that biases and perspectives matter and influence the outcome. Regardless, we encourage you to explore these topics as thoroughly as you can for your own awareness.
Statement About Victim Blaming
Some of our articles discuss various aspects of victims. This is both about better understanding victims (the science of victimology) and their behaviors and psychology. This helps us to educate victims/survivors about why these crimes happened and to not blame themselves, better develop recovery programs, and to help victims avoid scams in the future. At times this may sound like blaming the victim, but it does not blame scam victims, we are simply explaining the hows and whys of the experience victims have.
These articles, about the Psychology of Scams or Victim Psychology – meaning that all humans have psychological or cognitive characteristics in common that can either be exploited or work against us – help us all to understand the unique challenges victims face before, during, and after scams, fraud, or cybercrimes. These sometimes talk about some of the vulnerabilities the scammers exploit. Victims rarely have control of them or are even aware of them, until something like a scam happens and then they can learn how their mind works and how to overcome these mechanisms.
Articles like these help victims and others understand these processes and how to help prevent them from being exploited again or to help them recover more easily by understanding their post-scam behaviors. Learn more about the Psychology of Scams at www.ScamPsychology.org
Psychology Disclaimer:
All articles about psychology and the human brain on this website are for information & education only
The information provided in this article is intended for educational and self-help purposes only and should not be construed as a substitute for professional therapy or counseling.
While any self-help techniques outlined herein may be beneficial for scam victims seeking to recover from their experience and move towards recovery, it is important to consult with a qualified mental health professional before initiating any course of action. Each individual’s experience and needs are unique, and what works for one person may not be suitable for another.
Additionally, any approach may not be appropriate for individuals with certain pre-existing mental health conditions or trauma histories. It is advisable to seek guidance from a licensed therapist or counselor who can provide personalized support, guidance, and treatment tailored to your specific needs.
If you are experiencing significant distress or emotional difficulties related to a scam or other traumatic event, please consult your doctor or mental health provider for appropriate care and support.
Also read our SCARS Institute Statement about Professional Care for Scam Victims – click here to go to our ScamsNOW.com website.
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