SCARS Institute’s Encyclopedia of Scams™ Published Continuously for 25 Years
SCARS™ Special Report: Scambaiting – You are Only Hurting Yourself
Continuing The Discussion On Scambaiting
[lwptoc]Scam Baiting Is Where A Victim Or Other Person Engages In Deception And In Some Cases Actual Online Fraud Lying To A Scammer For “Fun”
The mistaken ideas are that it either wastes the scammer’s time or causes them to go to extreme tasks because of the scam that is being pulled on them.
Some wrongly believe that it is ok to scam a scammer.
That is like saying it is ok to murder a murderer.
WRONG IS WRONG
In our view this is not a hobby. It is not fun. It is not therapeutic. It is engaging in the same kinds of deception that scammers do.
In fact, in our opinion, it can further reinforce the PTSD that a victim suffers from by continuing to expose the victim to scams.
It does not matter if the other person is a criminal or not. If you engage in deception regardless of your intentions it is ethically (and in some cases legally) the same. Wire fraud is wire fraud.
We expect the FBI to track down these criminals, but what if their African governments came to track you down?
Deception is deception, lying is lying. If you want to hold the high moral ground then do not scam bait.
Scambaiting Is Wrong
Our position is that scambaiting has many negative qualities and it depends on the person who is doing it how great the damage is to them.
- It is being deceitful – you are lying to a scammer. Just because they are that way does not mean you want to lower yourself to their level and become a liar too.
- Wanting to take it out on the scammer is a form of revenge. Maybe a mild form, but still a form. Revenge hurts the person doing it as much as the target. When is enough? With most scam baiters there is never enough, it becomes a compulsion and obsession, they stop when they just get tired. But nothing changes.
- It comes from an emotion of hatred. Scambaiters may not admit it but they hate scammers. You can be angry at a scammer because of what they did to you, you can say you hate them, but real hate – the kind of hate that you cannot let go of is more dangerous for you than for them. Hate will consume you eventually. Of course, most are not willing to use that word, they prefer words like: loathe, detest, despise, unable to bear, can’t stand, can’t tolerate, etc. Hate is still hate!
- It will frustrate you. Scam baiting accomplishes nothing other than to consume your time. You are not stopping scammers. Yes, you can waste their time and make them do silly things but nothing changes with it. The scammers just learn from it, so you are making them smarter. The only scammers that will fall for it anyway are the dumb ones – the new or least experienced. The professionals will just block you.
- It is just an outlet for your own aggression or for your own hatred against scammers. You may get a momentary high from baiting a scammer, but in the long run, it just leaves you hollow.
THIS IS NOT THE WAY TO RECOVER FROM A TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE – RE-LIVING IT OVER AND OVER – CAN’T YOU SEE THAT?
Even those that make fun of scammers are doing it because deep down they loath scammers, while having fun with them.
In The End, This Is An Argument About Revenge And Who That Hurts Most
We view it as a self-destructive behavior.
It is also a contagious behavior.
Angry victims easily fall into that trap. For that reason, we disagree with it and prohibit it in our groups, and within our SCARS Membership, and through our SCARS Code of Conduct.
In Addition, Depending On Who The Scammers Are, Some Of Them Are In Fact Dangerous
The different types of scammers by regions – some are dangerous
Our position would have no value if we did not defend it, so we are always willing to discuss it further.
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SCARS™ Team
A SCARS Division
Miami Florida U.S.A.
TAGS: SCARS, Important Article, Information About Scams, Anti-Scam, Angry Scam Victims, Angry Romance Scam Victims, Hating Scammers, Hate Scammers, Loath Scammers,Scam Baiting, Scam Baiter, Scambaiting, Traumatic Experience, Scam Trauma, Reliving Trauma
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FAQ: How Do You Properly Report Scammers?
It is essential that law enforcement knows about scams & scammers, even though there is nothing (in most cases) that they can do.
Always report scams involving money lost or where you received money to:
- Local Police – ask them to take an “informational” police report – say you need it for your insurance
- Your National Police or FBI « www.IC3.gov »
- The SCARS|CDN™ Cybercriminal Data Network – Worldwide Reporting Network « HERE » or on « www.Anyscam.com »
This helps your government understand the problem, and allows law enforcement to add scammers on watch lists worldwide.
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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.
So how do you combat this then? The police and authorities are useless when it comes to x-country scams. So what to do? Your suggestions?
Law enforcement is only useless if you believe that and do not support them. But it is also true that they are extremely limited by international boundaries and treaties. Being realistic is the way to move forward, and that means supporting real efforts to change the situation. To learn more visit http://www.AgainstScams.org