• STRANGER CONTACT WARNING 1
SCARS Institute's Encyclopedia of Scams™ RomanceScamsNOW.com Published Continuously for 25 Years

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

In 2025 the SCARS Institute will enter its 11th year of Supporting Scam Victims Worldwide. Please let us know how we can better help you? Thank you for supporting our organization. SCARS Institute © 2024 www.AgainstScams.org

STRANGER CONTACT WARNING

We want to alert you to a a potential problem with people who comment on anti-scam pages & websites.

That person may be a MULE or a SCAMMER recruiting.

There are victims who fall under a fairy tale told by scammers – that someone is going to help all of these victims, and wants their connections (mules) to go out and connect with victims so “He” can help them.

Warning them about a scammer when they are on a fake profile is one thing, this just involves leaving them a message that they are talking to a scammer.

However, when someone strikes up a conversation and tries to get the victims into private conversations away from prying eyes – this is something else.

This usually is a form of a follow up scam, after the victim has discovered the scam. The scammer comes back and then pretends to be a therapist or a counselor, and just wants to help victims. Sometimes they ask their MULES to do it. Either way, it is yet another way to track victims for another scam.

From time to time we see very aggressive people commenting on our pages and websites soliciting victims to contact them privately on apps, Facebook messenger, by email, or on Google Hangouts. Of course this is a major red flag when a stranger contacts you like this.

There can be many reasons for this and all of them are dangerous to you.

  1. A Victim with a Messiah Complex – a very angry victim who fundamentally believes that they are the only one that can save everybody. They want to gather you into their flock. They are not really so different from a cult leader.
  2. A Scammer’s MULE – (even though they are well intentioned – most of the time) recruiting for a scammer (who is pretending to be a victims therapist or counselor on line. All they need to do is talk to a victim and then everything will be wonderful.
  3. A Scammer – they will reach out after they have failed and try several other tactics to re-scam a victim, or other others. In the end they don’t care as long as the money flows.

This is why we are always careful when warning victims on a scammers page or profile. We do not want to be perceived as one of these.

Always beware of total strangers that just start up a conversation in comments where they want you to contact them privately.

Never Take The Bait!

Some can be overtly hostile when we explain our policy to prohibit that kind of contact for every victims’ safety. Some have to be banned from our pages and websites.

This happens a few times a month and we respond by explaining the situation, and if the person persists or takes their anger out on us is banned.

Just be aware that there is more than one way for scammers to reach out to you!

Be Smart Online!

Stop | Think | Connect

Stop | Think | Connect

-/ 30 /-

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Published On: May 3rd, 2018Last Updated: March 24th, 2022Categories: ♦ ABOUT SCARSTags: , , , , , , 0 Comments on STRANGER CONTACT WARNING502 words2.6 min readTotal Views: 3033Daily Views: 1

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Important Information for New Scam Victims

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.

If you are in crisis, feeling desperate, or in despair please call 988 or your local crisis hotline.