SCARS Institute’s Encyclopedia of Scams™ Published Continuously for 25 Years
SCARS™ Scam Basics: Too Many Facebook Groups
All Scam Victims Have Asked Themselves How And Why They Were Targeted! Did You Ever Think It Was The Groups You Joined?
[lwptoc]Facebook is a wonderous platform connecting half of the world – at least if you believe Facebook.
The Reality Though Is Quite Different.
At least half of all Facebook profiles are fake or fraudulent. Just imagine that, over one billion fake profiles! (See here »)
The staggering truth is that almost everyone that will contact you online – that you do not personally know is going to be a fake – is going to be a scammer!
But Let’s Talk About Groups And Scam Victim Behavior
Scammers have solid preferences when it comes to shopping for potential scam victims. Facebook Groups are like farms full of waiting victims.
The Facebook Groups They Target Most Are:
- Buy / Sell / Trade Groups
- Local Community Groups
- Celebrity Fan Groups
- Social Meeting & Singles Groups
Why These Groups?
Because their members are predisposed to meeting strangers.
- Especially in the Buy/Sell Groups – victims are looking for deals – this tells a scammer they are predisposed to being scammed, and mostly they are right.
- The same for Singles Groups – victims are actively out looking for strangers to interact with, what could be more perfect for a scammer?
- Local Community Groups are also places where strangers communicate and also where there is automatic trust because of the supposed “local connection.”
- Celebrity Fan Groups are also full of people looking for small bits of connected fame, and scammer pretending to be celebrities provide it.
If you have joined any of these types of groups we encourage you to leave since in our experience they are poorly administered and flooded with scammers and fake profiles.
Too Many Groups
How Many Is Too Many Facebook Groups, And Why Does It Matter?
If someone belongs to groups that are not visited daily or at least every couple of days then they are a bomb waiting to go off — because the prospective victim is not really following what is going on, and this leaves them as an easy target to scammers that also belong to that group. Scammers mine the Facebook group’s members lists of these groups and look for inactivity. This tells them who might be more vulnerable to being successfully scammed.
Each person that approaches us for help displays their Facebook Groups (it is a Facebook screening tool for Group Admins) and we constantly see (literally every single day) scam victims that belong to dozens of groups or specifically to groups like those above.
The Common Thread Is Obvious To Anyone That Cares To Look At It
Facebook groups can be great if they are well managed and a person is an active participant. But if they are not then they are potential danger zones.
How To Save Yourself?
We encourage each person that belongs to Facebook Groups to go through them and see what you have joined. Walk away (“leave”) groups you do not care about. And those that they stay in be watchful for scammer behaviors.
Each Prospective Victim Has To Save Themselves.
SCARS™ Team
A SCARS Division
Miami Florida U.S.A.
TAGS: Facebook Groups, Buy / Sell / Trade Groups, Local Community Groups, Celebrity Fan Groups, Social Meeting & Singles Groups, Group Danger, Scammers Mine Groups, Online Scams, Prospect Victims, Scam Victims,
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MORE INFORMATION
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Tell us about your experiences with Romance Scammers in our Scams Discussion Forum on Facebook »
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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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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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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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