What Is A Relationship ScamRelationship Scam A Relationship Scam is a one-to-one criminal act that involves a trust relationship and uses deception & manipulation to get a victim to give to the criminal something of value, such as money! Click here to learn more: What Is A Relationship Scam??

Understanding ScamsScams A Scam is a confidence trick - a crime -  is an attempt to defraud a person or group after first gaining their trust through deception. Scams or confidence tricks exploit victims using their credulity, naïveté, compassion, vanity, irresponsibility, or greed and exploiting that. Researchers have defined confidence tricks as "a distinctive species of fraudulent conduct ... intending to further voluntary exchanges that are not mutually beneficial", as they "benefit con operators ('con men' - criminals) at the expense of their victims (the 'marks')". A scam is a crime even if no money was lost. InfographicInfographic Infographics (a shortened word of "information" and "graphics") are graphic visual representations of information, data, or knowledge intended to present information quickly and clearly. They can improve your understanding of a topic by utilizing graphics. Infographics have evolved in recent years to be more useful for mass communications and thus are designed with fewer assumptions about the readers' knowledge base than other types of visualizations.!

A SCARSSCARS SCARS - Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. A government registered crime victims' assistance & crime prevention nonprofit organization based in Miami, Florida, U.S.A. SCARS supports the victims of scams worldwide and through its partners in more than 60 countries around the world. Incorporated in 2015, its team has 30 years of continuous experience educating and supporting scam victims. Visit www.AgainstScams.org to learn more about SCARS. Insight

A Relationship Scam – Don’t You mean A Romance ScamScam A Scam is a confidence trick - a crime -  is an attempt to defraud a person or group after first gaining their trust through deception. Scams or confidence tricks exploit victims using their credulity, naïveté, compassion, vanity, irresponsibility, or greed and exploiting that. Researchers have defined confidence tricks as "a distinctive species of fraudulent conduct ... intending to further voluntary exchanges that are not mutually beneficial", as they "benefit con operators ('con men' - criminals) at the expense of their victims (the 'marks')". A scam is a crime even if no money was lost.?

Nope!

The Definition of a Relationship Scam:

It is a one-to-one criminalCriminal A criminal is any person who through a decision or act engages in a crime. This can be complicated, as many people break laws unknowingly, however, in our context, it is a person who makes a decision to engage in unlawful acts or to place themselves with others who do this. A criminal always has the ability to decide not to break the law, or if they initially engage in crime to stop doing it, but instead continues. act that involves a trust relationshipTrust Relationship What Is Trust In A Relationship? Trust is the faith you have in someone that they will always remain loyal to you, honest, reliable, or love you. To trust someone means that you can rely on them and are comfortable confiding in them because you feel safe with them. It is the building block for any relationship without which the foundation will always remain shaky. and uses deception & manipulation to get a victim to give to the criminal something of value, such as money!

A Relationship Scam includes many different types of scams, each with their own unique elements and styles:

• Romance/Dating/Love Scams
• Lotto/Sweepstakes ScamsSweepstakes Scams These scams involve someone claiming you won a prize. However, they say you must pay a fee or provide sensitive banking information in order to get it. They keep the money, and you get nothing for it.
• Marriage/Bride Scams
• Grandparent Scams
• Sextortion & Blackmail
• BEC (Business Email Compromise – phone/message/email) & Bank Wire Scams
• 419419 An advance fee scam or fraud (419 scam) is a form of fraud and is one of the most common types of online confidence tricks. The scam typically involves promising the victim a significant share of a large sum of money, in return for a small up-front payment, which the fraudster claims will be used to obtain the large sum. If a victim makes the payment, the fraudster either invents a series of further fees for the victim or simply disappears. The 419 comes from the Nigerian law against this type of scam. Money/Gold Scams (Nigerian Prince Scams)
• Many Investment ScamsInvestment Scams When a caller claims to have a promising investment opportunity that will help you get rich quick, it's likely a scam.
• Job/Work At Home Scams
• Emergency Scams
• Government ImpersonationImpersonation An impersonator is someone who imitates or copies the behavior or actions of another. There are many reasons for impersonating someone, such as: part of a criminal act such as identity theft, online impersonation scam, or other fraud. This is usually where the criminal is trying to assume the identity of another, in order to commit fraud, such as accessing confidential information or to gain property not belonging to them. Also known as social engineering and impostors.
• Tax/Social Security Scams
• Jail/Bail/Arrest Scams
• Some Influencer Scams
• Home/Rent/Mortgage Scams
• College Tuition Scams
• University Entrance Scams

And many more types where a scammerScammer A Scammer or Fraudster is someone that engages in deception to obtain money or achieve another objective. They are criminals that attempt to deceive a victim into sending more or performing some other activity that benefits the scammer. grooms or prepares a victim for harvesting!

A Relationship Scam has a basic set of stages to prepare a victim and to move them forward:

• An Initial Lure or Contact
• An Introduction Phase
• A GroomingGrooming Grooming is a form of setting up a victim for a scam or other crime by befriending and establishing an emotional connection with the victim, and sometimes the family, to lower the victim's inhibitions with the objective of the scam or criminal activity.  Grooming includes the development of a trust relationship between the criminal and the victim, getting the victims to the point where they can be more completely manipulated.   Phase
• A Capture & Control Phase – Application of Manipulation
• A Closer Phase (Get Money)
• A Wind-down Phase
• Post-Scam Scam Phases:
  • Threats & Coercion
  • Follow Up Money Recovery ScamsRecovery Scams If you've already fallen for a scam, another scammer may call you and offer to get you your money back for a fee. Their goal is to double-dip and steal more of your money. Unfortunately, in most cases, only real law enforcement or your government can get your money back. There are exceptions, but you are safer to avoid all recovery options.
  • Follow Up Private Investigator Scams
  • Follow Up Police Reporting Scams

Each of these is being performed by human criminals, either part of one group or by separate groups all focused on extracting as much as possible from each victim!

Each group of criminals engages in their own various models and businesses to steal as much as possible.

The Key in All Relationship ScamsRelationship Scam A Relationship Scam is a one-to-one criminal act that involves a trust relationship and uses deception & manipulation to get a victim to give to the criminal something of value, such as money! Click here to learn more: What Is A Relationship Scam? is that there is a Trust Relationship between the Victim & Scammer!

Remember, a Relationship Scam can use many different communication platforms:

• Social Media/Websites
• Games & VR
• Email/Messaging
• Phone/SMS Text
• And many others

It will also be a stranger contacting you, but they may look like a friend or family member!

Remember, everyone can fall for a Relationship Scam!

Regardless of age, race, nationality, or culture, everyone will fall for a scam! The only solution is to distrust strangers, assume it is a scam first, develop new safety behaviors, and have someone you trust to look before you jump into something new!

Share the Knowledge about Relationship Scams before it is too late!
The next victim could be your Parents, Children, or Best Friend!