SCARS Institute’s Encyclopedia of Scams™ Published Continuously for 25 Years
SCARS™ Opinion: Frustration
So Many Of You Express Frustration With The Way Things Are
[lwptoc]Don’t Take This As An Attack On You But Consider …
Is it frustrating that you can buy alcohol that causes deaths every day? Or cigarettes?
We all know the cigarettes kill right? Want to know a secret? There are more smokers today than ever – worldwide that is. Why? Because cigarettes are a drug. People want that drug. But at least there is no more growth – numbers of smokers are trending down.
What About Scammers?
Scammers are just like cigarettes – they are a drug delivery mechanism. The drug being that fantasy relationship.
Think about that for a minute. Think about how you felt during the relationship?
Were you high from the attention? From the affection?
You were on drugs.
Those were real drugs flowing through your body. Those were hormones that your body makes when “excited” to release them.
In short, every scam victim that went into it fully was a drug user – even though it was being produced by your own body.
Scammers are simply a mechanism of delivery – the marketing channel for fantasies that consumers want to buy – even if they do not know it.
Then when discovered (just like lung cancer) you wonder why you did it.
You see the scammers are not the problem. At least not the main problem. They are just opportunists, just like cancer.
We will only be able to control the drug producers so far as long as there is demand.
Same is true for scammers. While we are making huge progress, we have seen that in the case of the war on drugs that it is still bad.
- Education is critical, but as we have seen with drugs, it is not enough.
- Enforcement is critical, but as we have seen with drugs, it is not enough.
- Politics is critical, but as we have seen with drugs, it is not enough.
- Recovery is critical, but as we have seen with drugs, it is not enough.
What Is The Answer?
How did we as a society reduce drunk driving be over 75%?
How did we as a society reduce rapes by over 50%?
Consider – According to the NSVRC (nsvrc.org):
- The lifetime cost of rape per victim is $122,461
- Annually, rape costs the U.S. more than any other crime ($127 billion), followed by assault ($93 billion), murder ($71 billion), and drunk driving, including fatalities ($61 billion)
Except now we know that cybercrime is the top crime worldwide costing the U.S. nearly a TRILLION dollars a year alone.
What we know in all of these cases is that we cannot just enforce our way out of this – we must change who WE are!
Scamming Stops With Each And Every One Of Us
Scamming stops when we stop giving in to it. It stops when we share what we know without fear.
It stops when everyone is on the same page.
How Do We Do That?
We follow the MADD Model (Mothers Against Drunk Driving). Standardize the message, combine the lobbying and political will, and educate consistently and factually. Otherwise it is all just noise.
SCARS is working for clarity and to eliminate the noise but most scam victims are drawn to the noise and much less is happening that could be done. Worse still, is that the victims who are drawn to the noise do not get the help they need.
Each and every one of us is both the cause and the cure.
When we sing with a single voice we have clarify. When we do not it is just noise.
You can help others understand this. You can help other groups come and join with us. There are nearly 100 anti-scam groups that are members of SCARS right now. But there are thousands that are not.
Or we could all just quit and go sit on a beach. But eventually, the war comes back to you no matter where you hide.
Eventually, We All Learn That Truth.
What Will You Do?
Cynthia Reyes
Compliance Officer
Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.
[SCARS]
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MORE INFORMATION
– – –
Tell us about your experiences with Romance Scammers in our Scams Discussion Forum on Facebook »
– – –
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.
– – –
Visit our NEW Main SCARS Facebook page for much more information about scams and online crime: www.facebook.com/SCARS.News.And.Information »
To learn more about SCARS visit www.AgainstScams.org
Please be sure to report all scammers HERE » or on www.Anyscam.com »
Legal Notices:
All original content is Copyright © 1991 – 2020 SCARS All Rights Reserved Worldwide & Webwide. Third-party copyrights acknowledge.
SCARS, RSN, Romance Scams Now, SCARS|WORLDWIDE, SCARS|GLOBAL, SCARS, Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams, Society of Citizens Against Romance Scams, SCARS|ANYSCAM, Project Anyscam, Anyscam, SCARS|GOFCH, GOFCH, SCARS|CHINA, SCARS|CDN, SCARS|UK, SCARS Cybercriminal Data Network, Cobalt Alert, Scam Victims Support Group, are all trademarks of Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Incorporated.
Contact the law firm for the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Incorporated by email at legal@AgainstScams.org
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Table of Contents
- So Many Of You Express Frustration With The Way Things Are
- Don’t Take This As An Attack On You But Consider …
- What About Scammers?
- What Is The Answer?
- Scamming Stops With Each And Every One Of Us
- How Do We Do That?
- Eventually, We All Learn That Truth.
- What Will You Do?
- CHAT WITH SCARS™ – CLICK HERE [icon name=”comment” class=”” unprefixed_class=”2x”]
- Tell us about your experiences with Romance Scammers in our Scams Discussion Forum on Facebook »
- FAQ: How Do You Properly Report Scammers?
- Please be sure to report all scammers HERE » or on www.Anyscam.com »
- Legal Notices:
Rapid Report Scammers
In the U.S. & Canada
U.S. & Canada Suicide Lifeline 988
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ARTICLE META
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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