SCARS Institute’s Encyclopedia of Scams™ Published Continuously for 25 Years
All Scam/Financial Fraud Victims Need Support
Unfortunately, studies show that only about 12% of crime victims seek out professional support from either real support providers or therapy professionals.
All too often, victims turn to family & friends, or worse, self-proclaimed experts!
Victim support groups can be an important source of emotional support for people who have been the victims of scams or financial fraud. These groups can provide a safe and supportive space for people to share their experiences, discuss their emotions, and receive encouragement and advice from others who have been through similar experiences. Being part of a victim support group can help people feel less isolated and alone, and can provide them with a sense of community and belonging. Victim support groups can also be a helpful resource for people who are looking for information about how to recover from financial fraud and scams, and for ideas about how to move forward and protect themselves in the future.
Why Haven’t You Applied To Join A SCARS Support & Recovery Group Yet?
We bring together small groups of people, fully screened for your safety and to keep out scammers!
SCARS Groups meet online in our dedicated Facebook groups, separated by stage of recovery.
WE OFFER GROUPS FOR:
- New Victims – Arrivers – up to 9 months from the end of the scam.
- Survivors – for as long as they need support
- Thrivers – social connections with recovered scam survivors
- Family & Friends – helping those the scam also touched
- Lite Support – for those that do not want as much
Our groups are available to its members 24/7 – there is always someone ready to help when you need it.
We have mixed (women & men) groups, and women-only groups too!
SCARS is inclusive, we never discriminate based on race, culture, religion, gender, or national origin – we support people worldwide!
Currently, we directly offer SCARS Groups in English, and separately in Spanish. However, we have partners in more than 60 countries to help in other languages too.
Each group is professionally facilitated by a real certified trauma-informed expert team: warm, grounded, and energizing humans that help keep members on the right path.
Our Arrivers & Survivors Groups have weekly zoom calls for face-to-face human connections, to hear each other’s stories, learn about these crimes, and how to overcome them. Moderated by our professional team.
SCARS Support & Recovery groups are always FREE are engineered to help you feel understood and feel less alone. To help educate you about why these crimes happened – that it was not your fault – it was a violation, something that was done to you without your consent!
We give you a place to share, vent, and process life—outside of friends and family. We provide a true, competent level of support that no amateur anti-scam hate group can.
Our group members give you multiple, diverse perspectives on these crimes, life, and each person’s path to recovery.
Our groups are designed to give you “me” time when you need it.
WHAT WE DO IN OUR GROUPS:
- SCARS Groups are about digging *deep*
- SCARS Groups are all about sharing openly, as you are ready
- SCARS Groups are all about asking curious questions and learning
- SCARS Groups are all about active listening
- SCARS Groups are about being honest and upfront, even if it’s uncomfortable
- SCARS Groups are about challenging each other
- SCARS Groups are to get better at being human, together.
WE NAVIGATE TOPICS SUCH AS:
- Finding answers
- Understanding your emotions
- How to navigate through the recovery & life transitions
- New life chapters
- Relationships challenges, with family & friends
- Finding purpose
- Work-life recovery balance
- Managing stress, focusing on processing grief and working with mental healthcare professionals on trauma
- Loneliness after the scam ends
- How to get the most from your counseling & therapy
- And much, much more
To get started, just visit support.AgainstScams.org and answer a few questions to help us understand the kind of help you need, and if SCARS is right for you!
It’s not hard, and you know you need it! Plus they are always free,
We hope to see you in a SCARS Support Group soon!
ABOUT SCARS (www.AgainstScams.org)
SCARS is a crime victims’ assistance and crime prevention nonprofit organization (NGO) based in the U.S. (with a satellite office in Mexico) supporting scam victims worldwide. We provide support services and recovery programs, as well as being a primary educator for scam avoidance, discovery, and recovery. You can visit our corporate website at www.AgainstScams.org You can also learn more about our education at www.RomanceScamsNOW.com
SCARS provides support & education for financial fraud victims worldwide.
Please NOTE: that while the SCARS Team is certified in trauma-informed care and grief counseling, and many other disciplines, we are not a mental healthcare provider. We do not provide counseling & therapy directly. But we do offer counseling & therapy benefits through our partnership with BetterHelp.com as a benefit of our SCARS Membership (http://membership.AgainstScams.org)
SCARS does recommend to every victim of financial fraud that you not only report these crimes to your local police but that you also obtain trauma counseling or therapy to help you overcome these crimes.
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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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