SCARS Institute’s Encyclopedia of Scams™ Published Continuously for 25 Years
A Typical Scammer Threat Is To Come To Where The Victim Lives!
But In Reality, This Is Just A Threat
As a scam winds down and ends, scammers commonly threaten all kinds of things. We have heard from victims that scammers have said:
- They would visit the victim and kill them. Shoot them, stab them, poison them.
- They would kill the victim’s family or children.
- They would report them to the police as a criminal.
- They would report them as a terrorist.
- They would have their government extradite the victim to some third-world country.
- They will watch them and stalk them.
- The list goes on and on …
However, it is almost all nonsense. It is just another form of manipulation. Another scam. In most cases.
After the scam ends, if the scammer cannot get any more money from the victim, they will use threats to achieve two potential goals.
- Silence the victim – the more victims that talk about their scams the more the scammer’s business is impacted.
- Set the victim up for a follow-on scam, Frightened victims are more likely to pay a fake investigator or a fake police officer to investigate and arrest the scammer. In this way, they can extend the scam or do a hand-off to another group to exploit that last bit of money the scam victim has.
But these are just more of the same – all lies – intended to extend the manipulation long after the scam relationship ends.
And Very Sadly, It Works!
No one knows the exact percentage of scam victims that are threatened after their scams, but some estimates are as high at 25%. And for those victims that are threatened, the after-scam experience is much worse. These threats can be truly frightening, causing much more severe trauma.
When Should You Ignore Threats?
In almost all cases the threats are going to be just more lies. This is especially true with the Africans.
You can also safely ignore threats when:
- The scammers are African – regardless of where you live. African scammers are only after the money.
- The scammers are Asian – but you live in the Americas or Europe. If the Asian scammers are in your same country, you should always notify the police.
- The scammers are Jamaican – but you do not live in Jamaica.
- The scammers are Middle Easter – but you live in Asia, the Americas, or in Europe.
When You Should Not Ignore The Threats?
There are a few cases – very rare – when you need to pay attention to the threats. This is mostly true of Eastern European Marriage scams where someone travels to Eastern Europe (Ukraine or Russia for example) and married a local woman. In these cases, these scams are often run by real mafia-style criminals, who may indeed have collaborators in many countries.
Russian scammers are especially good at transforming a marriage scam into something more and obtaining every bit of value from it.
However, the Africans do not do this, and most of the time neither do Asian or Latin American scammers.
The Wierd Case Of Being Married To A Scammer
Many scammers, especially African scammers try to convince their victims that they are legitimately married to them, by simply creating a fake marriage certificate.
In these bizarre scams as the victim stops sending money, scammers often say they are coming to claim you, their house, and property. But there is only one small problem – they are not married to their victims, it was just another lie. So do not worry about this, the scammer would never get a VISA or make it through immigration with such patent falsehoods.
Always Report To The Police
If you are ever threatened by a scammer you must report this to the police. Even if you were not threatened you should report the crime, but especially if there are threats.
However, regardless of where the scammer is or from, if you feel afraid talk to your police. That is what they are there for. They can help you feel more reassured and safe, and give you valuable tips about how to be safer in your local community.
The reason is so that the police has this information on file. Should you ever need a restraining order or protection, they have the original file or report to justify this. If you never reported it, then you have to start from scratch. Better to have reported the crime and be prepared than otherwise.
If you ever feel that you are in real danger always call 911 or your local emergency number. This is what they are there for!
Remember, the scammer will almost NEVER come to your door. Just report the scam and then do your best to recover from it.
-/ 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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