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The Communications Decency Act CDA Section 230 Meets The U.S. Supreme Court Section 230 - Deciding The Future of the Internet SCARS Commentary by Dr. Tim McGuinness SCARS Commentary: On the topic of the Communications Decency Act, Section 230 specifically. As some of you may know, in 1996 a new law was created that allowed websites (and everything is a website) to display content created by the site visitors. This is [...]
Top Lies Romance Scammers Tell Insights from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission How Scams Work - A SCARS Special Report Author: • Tim McGuinness, Ph.D., DFin, MCPO, MAnth - Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Originally Published: 2022 - Article Updated: 2024 SCARS Encyclopedia of Scams Article Abstract Romance scammers employ elaborate lies and stories to manipulate their victims, ultimately [...]
Fraud: Threat to National Security Reclassifying These Crimes To Create Real Awareness & Action Advocating On Behalf Of Victims - A SCARS Special Report The United Kingdom Has Already Accepted This, But Now The United States Is Feeling It Too! Fraud Set To Be Upgraded As A Threat To National Security The United States Government and the UK Government plan will see the crime reclassified and treated as seriously as [...]
An Overview of Romance Scams A VICE Article Presented by SCARS Beware of the Perfect Gentleman The men whose photos are used for catfishing have little recourse other than to continuously report fake profiles across social media platforms. An article by Motherboard, by VICE This is an excellent overview of impersonation-based relations scams (romance scams) from our friends at VICE. Vice first interviewed us about 6 years ago. The article [...]
SCARS Journalism & Ethical Publishing Standards About RomanceScamsNOW.com A SCARS Policy About SCARS Publishing on RomanceScamsNOW.com Masthead Owner: Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc., a Florida Nonprofit Corporation. Publisher in Chief: Dr. Tim McGuinness, Managing Director, Board Member, and SCARS Officer Press Contact: Debby Montgomery Johnson, Director, Board Member, and SCARS Officer Editorial Advisory Board: Vianey Gonzalez, and others. Corrections We will revise our website and articles as needed [...]
A SCARS EDITORIAL ON AI SAFETY Artificial Intelligence & Machines Learning Is Emerging In Relationship Scams How Scams Work - A SCARS Insight See more SCARS Videos on our YouTube Channel - click here Knowledge Is Not Enough To Stop A Scam! A SCARS Editorial by Dr. Tim McGuinness The Dawn Of AI In Scams AI is beginning to take over the communications between victims [...]
SCARS Q&A Questions & Answers 11/9/2022 With Special Guest Erin West A SCARS Presentation A SCARS Question & Answers Presentation With Special Guest Erin West, Prosecutor, Santa Clara County, California And SCARS Board Members: Dr. Tim McGuinness (USA), Debby Montgomery Johnson (USA), and Vianey Gonzales (Mexico) On today's SCARS Q&A we explore Pig Butchering Crypto Relationship/Investment Scams, Real Money Recovery, Money Mules, the Criminal Justice Systems and Law Enforcement, Scams, [...]
The Diane Webb Story - Who Died From Her Romance Scam As Told By Her Family A SCARS Presentation Diane K. Webb - Who Died From Her Romance Scam Diane Webb was a 70-year-old woman from Coeur d'Alene, Idaho who had been manipulated into a romance scam. She sold her home and sent every dollar she had to a scammer in Nigeria. She then traveled to Nigeria and was kidnapped [...]
SCARS Testifies Before The FTC About Data Privacy Victims' Advocacy A SCARS Special Report The Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. was invited to testify before the U.S. Federal Trade Commission regarding data collection and surveillance, and data security regulation.The FTC is developing a new set of data limits and responsibility regulations to cover all user data - consensual or not.Our Dr. McGuinness, Chairman of SCARS was able to deliver [...]
Normalcy Bias - A Cognitive Bias The Normalcy Bias: Understanding the Cognitive Bias that Can Put You in Danger Cognitive Biases - What Could Go Wrong, Right? Psychology of Scams - A SCARS Institute Insight Author: • Tim McGuinness, Ph.D., DFin, MCPO, MAnth - Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Originally Published: 2022 - Article Updated: 2025 [...]
Panic & Urgency Scams [VIDEO] SCARS Webinar May 21, 2022 In this edition of our SCARS Webinar Series, we talk about short-term scams where the scammers place the victim in panic and create a sense of urgency!. These scams are typically about some form of emergency or urgent situation where the victim has to send money immediately to avoid serious consequences. Hosted by SCARS Directors: Debby Montgomery Johnson & Tim McGuinness, Ph.D., DFin, MCPO, [...]
Romance Scams Life Cycle SCARS Webinar May 14, 2022 Report The Crime You are the victim of organized transnational criminals! Take this seriously. The reason scams are so out of control is that only about 1% of victims report these crimes! Every report matters! Police may not chase after the scammers but the reports help the government to extradite them! Reporting also restores your power and [...]
SCARS Webinar: Money Mules [VIDEO] Understanding How Victims Are Manipulated Into Becoming Accessories A SCARS Webinar [VIDEO] May 7, 2022 It Is Common For Scam Victims To Be Manipulated - Against Their Will Or Knowledge Into Becoming Money Mules Don’t Be a Mule: Awareness Can Prevent Crime What Is a Money Mule? A money mule is someone who transfers or moves illegally acquired money on behalf of someone [...]
SCARS Webinar: Romance Scams #1 [VIDEO] Pig Butchering Fraud & Military Impersonation Fraud A SCARS Webinar [VIDEO] April 30, 2022 Romance Fraud has been with us for hundreds of years at least. Fraudsters pretending to be in love to gain money is commonplace! But they have been online since the early 1990s. Our team began educating about them starting in 1991. Did You Know? It is estimated that 50% [...]
SCARS Webinar: Telling Your Story Part 2 [VIDEO] Telling Your Family & Friends A SCARS Webinar [VIDEO] April 23, 2022 Every Scam Victim Need To Tell Their Story An excerpt from our upcoming SCARS Gold Book on Telling Your Story First, understand that this is not going to be easy! But it is easier than hiding the secret inside! By sharing your story you will reduce your trauma and improve your [...]
Telling Your Story - Part 1 The Police [VIDEO] A SCARS Webinar [VIDEO] April 16, 2022 Every Scam Victim Need To Tell Their Story That Process Begins With Telling The Police! We explore the topic of how to do this in great detail, starting with getting organized - how to talk to them and what you need from them in the process. Our SCARS Webinar Presentation on How To Tell [...]
Pig Butchering Investment Scams Official FBI Podcast Presented by SCARS Building A Digital Defense Against A New Romance + Cryptocurrency Scam Called "Pig Butchering" Listen to the Podcast below - Podcast will automatically play The Pig Butchering scam pulls on heartstrings and purse strings, and it is much easier to execute than regular emergency-based romance scams! The fraud is named for the way scammers feed their victims with [...]
Justice - What This Means For Scam Victims A SCARS Webinar [VIDEO] April 9, 2022 Every Scam Victim Wants Justice But What Is It Really? We explore the topic of what Justice is, how it works in the Criminal Justice System worldwide - how police work, and who victims should report to. Our SCARS Webinar Presentation on JUSTICE deals with something that few scam victims really understand and what is [...]
Trust - What This Means For Scam Victims A SCARS Webinar [VIDEO] April 2, 2022 Trust Is A Very Big Deal If You Are A Scam Victim Trust is a very difficult topic, full of guilt and shame, but if you can fully understand the truth of what trust is and means to all the people involved before, during, and after the scam - only then can you really begin [...]
Scam Victim's 8 Steps To Improvement After The Scam A New Addition To The SCARS Recovery Program Books SCARS Publishing Book SCARS Wrote The Book On Scam Victim Recovery! In addition to the massive information published here on RomanceScamsNOW.com - free for all scam victims, families, and friends - SCARS also published guides and useful books available on our SCARS Company Store at shop.AgainstScams.org 100% of all profit goes to [...]
U.S. Federal Trade Commission Pivots In Major Change On Impersonation Scams This is the first significant action to help protect consumers since 2020 A SCARS Special Report On December 16, 2021 SCARS Was Invited By The U.S. Federal Trade Commission To Testify On that day, the FTC held a meeting to vote on new rulemaking to outlaw certain impersonation scams. SCARS was there in the meeting to support the new [...]
Scammers Pretending To Be Anti-Scammers The New Trend In The War On Scams! A SCARS Special Report Scammers Pretending To Be Against Scams! It Should Be No Surprise That Scams & Scammers Are Always Evolving! Online scammers, especially on social media, have always looked for ways to reach more potential victims. They started on just dating websites but quickly moved onto social media, messaging, and even game platforms. Today's scammers [...]
After A Scam, No One Can Tell You How You Will React Trauma and the Psychology of Scams A SCARS Insight Victim Trauma Response After The End Of A Relationship Scam Is Complex It is always important to remember that trauma does not always manifest the same in everyone. So much depends on a person's resilience to determine the lasting effects of their trauma. Additionally, many victims may believe that [...]
SCARS Files Complaint With The Department of Justice Inspector General's Office Regarding Crime Victims Rights by the Federal Bureau of Investigation SCARS Victims' Advocacy The following is the text of that complaint: Attention: Office of the Inspector General, Department of Justice Regarding the Federal Bureau of Investigation, IC3.gov - Systematic Institutional Violation of the Rights of Crime Victims. September 8, 2021 Our organization SCARS (Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams [...]
SCARS Publishes New Self-Help Recovery Guide SCARS Re-Launches The SCARS Steps Program In Book Form From SCARS Publishing SCARS Is Very Proud To Launch Its Latest Publication: The SCARS GREEN BOOK! Our New Self-Help SCARS Steps Recovery Guide SCARS Re-launches the SCARS Steps Program in book form to provide easier access and more flexible availability of this important program! It is a scam recovery guide for scam victims that [...]
Thoughts from the War on Scams ... July 17, 2021 Things Have to Change! A SCARS Commentary on Privacy A Commentary on The State of Scams & Privacy By Dr. Tim McGuinness, Member of the Board of Directors, Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. I recently heard from a friend who was applying for a new position and was declined because of #data that was discovered - [...]
Corporate Blame In Cybersecurity Cybercrime Victims Are Being Targeted By The Employers For Their Mistakes Many companies have gone so far as to litigate against employees! The Subtle Sabotage Of Blame In Cybersecurity & Online Safety A SCARS™ Insight by Tim McGuinness, Ph.D., DFin, MCPO, MAnth This article is for business owners and mid-level or senior managers! We All Do It, We All Blame Someone For Something Sometimes [...]
Cognition and Trauma - The Impact Of Relationship Scams Helping Scam Victims Understand How Traumatic Experiences Can Affect and Alter Cognition Scam Victim Trauma - A SCARS Insight Author: • Tim McGuinness, Ph.D., DFin, MCPO, MAnth - Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Originally Published: 2020 - Article Updated: 2024 Article Abstract Traumatic experiences, such as those resulting from scams, [...]
Identifying Hoaxes and Urban Legends SCARS Online Safety Series With thousands of amateur and pretend anti-scam groups on social media, many spread misinformation, fake news, and urban legends, instead of the real situation and knowledge. These guides will help provide confirmed and correct information you can rely on in your avoidance, discovery, and recovery. Hoxes & Urban Legends Are All Around Us! Chain Letters, "Yes" and "Share Posts" - [...]
SCARS Editorial: Common Sense About Avoiding Contagion This is not a normal topic for us here at SCARS, however we have been through many other epidemics similar to COVID-19. We wanted to share with you our own experience and personal advice with you. We do not offer this as expert medical advice, this is just our personal advice for how to deal with the situation right now and what may come. We hope that you [...]
Helping Friends & Family Better Understand Romance Scams Free Guide by the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams [SCARS] This Guide is intended for Family and Friends of someone that was involved in a Romance Scam Also available on LinkedIn.com here » Introduction This is presented in the hope that it will help scam victims to explain what happened to them. We hope that by reading this you can understand that the victim was not [...]
SCARS™ Psychology Of Scams: Hate As A Coping Mechanism After A Romance Scam Comes Anger Against Scammers, But When It Turns To Hate A Victim May Turn Away From Normal Recovery [lwptoc] Self-Hate, And By Extension Hate For The Scammer And Others Is The Most Dangerous Coping Mechanism Coping mechanisms are strategies and behaviors that are carried out to mitigate, manage or adapt to anything that causes distress. AFTER A ROMANCE SCAM, THERE IS CERTAINLY [...]
Our Deepest Condolences On behalf of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams we offer our most sincere condolences to the families of those that have lost been injured or their lives to criminals in the last few days. We understand the pain of loss that comes at the hands of crime. It is in moments like these when it is vitally important to remember who was really at fault, the criminal that made the [...]
A Commentary On Life We Live In This World Of Our Own Creation Many of us complain that we had nothing to do with it, it was this way when we got here and has not changed with our journey through life, and will not change with our passing. I came to a realization recently about my own life and those of the people I have connected with over the years and in the creation [...]
SCARS™ Online Safety - COPPA Regulation: A Few Tips To Keep Your Child Safe Online Protecting Your Child’s Privacy Online [lwptoc] As a parent, you have control over the personal information companies collect online from your kids under 13. The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act gives you tools to do that. The Federal Trade Commission, the nation’s consumer protection agency, enforces the COPPA Rule. If a site or service is covered by COPPA, it has [...]
SCARS™ EDITORIAL: POWER & EVIL Today is May Day A day to celebrate workers around the world, but also the international call for help! MAYDAY! Just remember this ... Scammers seek only one thing. It is not money, it is not sex. It is not expensive cars or jewelry. It is not property or wealth - those are just incidentals. IT IS POWER. SCAMMERS SEEK POWER! Power over their situation. Power over other people (victims). [...]
SCARS™ Quick Commentary: Why Report Scams? WHY REPORT SCAMS? No one does anything and no one cares, right? WRONG! There are two Reasons for Reporting these crimes: So authorities know the true scope To relieve that burden from your soul! Reporting is important because only about 5% of scam victims report scams. That is why governments around the world are just waking up to these crimes - because even 5% now is a huge number. Imagine [...]
SCARS™ Editorial: Remembering The Fallen - Past RSN Staff Over The Years We Have Had Many Team Members Work For Us Helping Victims. Some asked who is behind SCARS & RSN. So here is the short answer (made long). RSN was a corporation, and until July 2017 was a subsidiary of one of the related companies called PerfectReputations® (www.PerfectReputations.com ») owned by Dr. McGuinness, co-founder of such companies as TigerDirect » (originally called BLOC Development and others. [...]
It is Christmas Season Again ... Winston Churchill said: "Christmas is a season not only of rejoicing but of reflection." While this may not be your best Christmas, it is where you are supposed to be. Right here, right now. So that you can have better Christmases is the future. From Joe vs. The Volcano: "Look. I don't know you. I don't think I know anybody. You're angry, I can, I can see that. I'm [...]
The War Against Social Media WAR AGAINST SOCIAL MEDIA AND THEIR WAR AGAINST US No one would have believed in the last years of the ... century that this world was being watched keenly and closely by intelligences greater than man's and yet as mortal as his own; that as men busied themselves about their various concerns they were scrutinised and studied, perhaps almost as narrowly as a man with a microscope might scrutinise the transient creatures that swarm [...]
SCARS™ Position Paper: What Will It Take To Stop Scamming? That Is A Very Complex Question. You would think that there has to be a simple answer. Indeed, maybe there is? In looking at online fraud over the last 27 years we have developed a Road Map to End Scamming. Sadly we cannot do it by ourselves. The SCARS™ Road Map To End Scamming Online There are several complex transnational problems that must be solved [...]
RSN™ Guide: Romance Scam Delusion DISCLAIMER: The following is intended for informational and educational entertainment purposes only, and is not intended to be used in any way to diagnose a mental illness. All such diagnosis must be performed by a licensed doctor or psychologist. If you feel any portion of this may be applicable to you, consult a licensed doctor immediately for proper evaluation and diagnosis. de·lu·sion dəˈlo͞oZHən/ noun An idiosyncratic belief or impression that [...]
![Scam Trauma Syndrome [STS]](https://romancescamsnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/sts-2021.png "Scam Trauma Syndrome [STS] sts 2021")
Scam Trauma Syndrome [STS] The Apparent Psychological Factors Affecting Scam Victims A Paper on the Psychology of Scams An Exploration of the Psychological Effects of a Romance Scam on its Victim A Whitepaper By Tim McGuinness, Ph.D., DFin, MCPO, MAnth Scam Trauma Syndrome is a term that we have termed at the Society of Citizens Against Romance Scams [SCARS] for the trauma that Romance Scam Victims experience as [...]
Introduction To Sextortion Scams Sextortion employs non-physical forms of coercion to extort sexual favors from the victim or uses intimate photos or videos to extort money from the victims! It is a form of blackmail and is a crime worldwide Author: • Tim McGuinness, Ph.D., DFin, MCPO, MAnth - Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Originally Published: 2018 - Article Updated: 2024 [...]
RSN EDITORIAL "The Lion" Everyone believes they will live forever. Everyone believes crime will never happen to them. No one expects to be the victim of a romance scam! Did you? We live in a world that has been the same since the beginning of time. There are lions out there and they will eat you if you let them. Did you read that part? IF YOU LET THEM! Humans evolved in an environment where we [...]
RadioRSN Audio Interview with Debby Montgomery An interview with Debby Montgomery, a Romance Scam survivor conducted by Dr. Tim McGuinness Chairman of the Society of Citizens Against Romance Scams™ [SCARS]™ for RadioRSN™ on March 8th, 2018 Alternate Playback Here: https://soundcloud.com/user-121882415/2018-03-08-1a Permission to link to audio recording - permission not granted to copy, reproduce, edit or alter in any way. To obtain permission contact Press@AgainstRomanceScams.org Copyright © 2018 Society of Citizens Against Romance Scams Inc.
SCARS™ Scammer Urban Legends: Chapter 7 - No One Is Doing Anything! Nothing Is Being Done? We constantly hear from victims that say that no one is doing anything, or that nothing is being done! Unfortunately, it can certainly seem that way. But nothing could be farther from the truth. Most people believe that all crime is handled the way they see it on TV. You report it, and the police jump on it immediately. [...]
Reporting Romance Scams: Why Survivors Often Don’t By the Society of Citizens Against Romance Scams, Inc. January 15, 2018 © Introduction Why is it that not all romance scams survivors find it necessary to report scams? After all, a romance scam is truly an emotional assault, a form of rape! Why don’t they report them to the criminal justice system in order to move forward from their experience? In fact, some feel that the criminal [...]
EDITORIAL - IS FACEBOOK RESPONSIBLE FOR YOU BEING SCAMMED? Most people don’t need to be told they’re addicted to technology and social media. If reaching for your cell phone first thing in the morning doesn't tell you as much, multiple scientific studies and books will. Now the people responsible for this modern-day addiction have admitted that was their plan all along. In recent days we have seen multiple articles on this, but have [...]
PRESS & MEDIA INFORMATION Welcome to Romance Scams Now Background Information: Romance Scams Now is the current instance of an evolutionary process that began in 1991 by one of the founders of TigerDirect.com It began as an awareness of emerging scams appearing on America Online, and evolved to observe the expansion of these crimes with the introduction of the web. Our founder, Dr. Tim McGuinness observed the escalation of online crime [...]
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