
SCARS Institute’s Encyclopedia of Scams™ Published Continuously for 25 Years

Scammers Miss You – They Want You Back
They Especially Want More Of Your Money!
Scammers know where to find victims, all they have to do it look on the thousands of anti-scam groups on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and elsewhere. They go where there are victims looking for help and they offer it through carefully crafted messages that look like they come from other victims!
Except they are not from other victims, they are from SCAMMERS!
TWO CARDINAL RULES
- Never pay ANYONE to Investigate scammers. This is the job of law enforcement. Regardless of what you believe or have been told by amateurs, reporting to the police, FTC & FBI, or other law enforcement is effective. No “scam investigator,” as far as we know, has ever resulted in an arrest. Also, anyone that claims to be an investigator must have a private investigator’s license or they are committing a crime – you will be able to look up their license on their state, province, or country’s registry.
- Never pay ANYONE to recover your money! There are a few real companies that can go after traditional investment, but not if they are crimes. ONLY your local police or national law enforcement can get your money back from a crime. This is true of crypto losses or from other forms of money transfers – ONLY THE POLICE or their associated prosecutor’s office. ANYONE that says they can recover your money from a scam is committing fraud.
However, It Does Not Stop Them From Trying!
Scammers are effective because there are desperate victims willing to do anything to get back their money! But please do not pay attention to these offers, you are just putting yourself back in the scammer’s control again!
There are thousands of variations of these messages or comments and they appear on all social media platforms.
EXAMPLE INVESTIGATION OR MONEY RECOVERY SCAM MESSAGES OR COMMENTS
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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.
Não há dúvida que eles são um grupo bem organizado e com ideias bem organizadas para porem em prática muitos dos seus crimes, mas infelizmente, também concluo que sai muita informação do grupo através dos seus membros ou ex-membros.
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If you lost money: the way to report this is first with your local police – they are your first responders, then always report all scams to the FTC at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/#/?orgcode=SCARS and to SCARS at http://www.Anyscam.com – optionally, you can also report to the FBI at http://www.IC3.gov or 1-800-CALL-FBI
You can find more places to report here: https://romancescamsnow.com/reporting-entity-directory/