SCARS Institute’s Encyclopedia of Scams™ Published Continuously for 25 Years
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- on The SCARS Institute Relationship Scams Formula Checklist – 2026: “As I read this I could see myself in every step with my scam. I gained a lot more knowledge…” Aug 28, 19:51
- on The Persistence of Danielle Delaunay as a Fake Identity – 2026: “Unfortunately, you are being scammed. She is using a fake name regardless. At this point, your best option is to…” Aug 26, 20:16
- on The Persistence of Danielle Delaunay as a Fake Identity – 2026: “Dear Sirs, I have met this woman with the name Abigail Boateng in Ghana. I have an intensive mail contact…” Aug 26, 12:28
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- on The Persistence of Danielle Delaunay as a Fake Identity – 2026: “Knowing they are criminals, why would you want to talk to them? Avoid all strangers online.” Aug 19, 12:54
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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
SCARS Institute articles examine different aspects of the scam victim experience, as well as those who may have been secondary victims. This work focuses on understanding victimization through the science of victimology, including common psychological and behavioral responses. The purpose is to help victims and survivors understand why these crimes occurred, reduce shame and self-blame, strengthen recovery programs and victim opportunities, and lower the risk of future victimization.
At times, these discussions may sound uncomfortable, overwhelming, or may be mistaken for blame. They are not. Scam victims are never blamed. Our goal is to explain the mechanisms of deception and the human responses that scammers exploit, and the processes that occur after the scam ends, so victims can better understand what happened to them and why it felt convincing at the time, and what the path looks like going forward.
Articles that address the psychology, neurology, physiology, and other characteristics of scams and the victim experience recognize that all people share cognitive and emotional traits that can be manipulated under the right conditions. These characteristics are not flaws. They are normal human functions that criminals deliberately exploit. Victims typically have little awareness of these mechanisms while a scam is unfolding and a very limited ability to control them. Awareness often comes only after the harm has occurred.
By explaining these processes, these articles help victims make sense of their experiences, understand common post-scam reactions, and identify ways to protect themselves moving forward. This knowledge supports recovery by replacing confusion and self-blame with clarity, context, and self-compassion.
Additional educational material on these topics is available at ScamPsychology.org – ScamsNOW.com and other SCARS Institute websites.
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.
Patricia – Please all ladies be aware of a Stephen Jonas Hussein. He is a romantic scammer. I usually delete friend request from people I do not know. Three weeks ago I hit the wrong key and accepted. I ws contation by this man who claims to be a doctor with the UN. He has 8 Facebook pages and a www page under his name which is practically empty apart from photos. We started daily conversations. He claimed to be working in a camp in Syria. He wowed me each day with the picture of a cup of coffee, a bunch of flowers, a man and a wom cuddling, and a song on utube all romantic. Two weeks in he asked me for a photo of my Visa, front and back, I refused. That was the end of the friendship.
We encourage you to visit http://www.ScamVictimsSupport.org
does anyone know Robert Lucas Jackson from Mobile Alabama
Evelyn, A name is not very significant. Names are mostly meaningless because there is literally more than a billion fake profiles and fake names on Facebook alone. No one has a magic book that contains the names of all fake profiles.
If you suspect you are talking to a scammer then stop & block them. If you lost money then report it to your local police! Do not confront them – just leave them never knowing what happened, this is for your own safety.
If you sent money to a scammer visit http://reporting.AgainstScams.org to learn how best to report them.
You can look and see our photo galleries on http://www.ScammerPhotos.com
I lost over £25000 to a Facebook Celebrity Scammer under the name of Amanda Ava Koci of Los Angeles (USA) my relationship with her started with me being asked to buy a V.I.P. gift card and then scammer trapping me in a loving relationship for almost a year till i reported it to the FB as money finished so did her interest. Now I do not use FB or other social sites. Beware of the Celebrity scam on FB as the real identity of the scammer was always kept hidden except her email was genuine.
I fear that my best friend is being conned by a scammer she met on Facebook Dating. She is a widow age 68 and is very lonely and desperate for love. Anyway, I had been gone on a vacation and didn’t see her for maybe 3 weeks. When I returned she tells me of this man, Ken Morgan, she had been talking to. She is honestly smitten. After she was telling me all about him, I knew in my gut he is not real and his gorgeous pictures are fake. Supposedly he was raised in Ottawa Canada but has a house in Richmond California. He is a big shot contractor for Shell Oil and does business in both Canada and the US so is back and forth all the time. He is divorced for 6 years and has a grown daughter/son in California. He tells her he is working on a contract with 2 other guys and when it ends at the end of year they will earn around 3 million dollars. So in her words “He doesn’t need my money” of which she does very well on her annuities and other monies left to her when her husband died 5 years ago. He has a Facebook profile which is typical for these scammers – only 3 photos, friends are not listed and no info on him at all. I looked at one of his photos and there were 23 reactions that I could go to their profiles. All most everyone of them says they are from Manchester UK. I asked her that if he is from Canada and has a residence in the US then why isn’t there anyone from these places that react to his photo? No answer. She told me she had told him that she would have no issues with flying somewhere to meet him and he told her “Oh No! I don’t want you flying anywhere, I want you to be safe.” After she told me this, I pointed my finger up and told her “That is definitely a red flag of a scammer!” She kept defending him and that he has promised as soon as he can he is going to come see her and she doesn’t need to go anywhere to see him. I told her and when he does tell her he is coming, something will come up and he can’t make it. We live in a small community in Wyoming with a very small airport with only 2 incoming/departing flights to Denver a day. I told her she should let him know this so when he does come. Her answer “Oh I’m sure he has his own private jet or will charter one.” (I shake my head to myself for the 8th time!). I asked if she has actually talked to him on the phone and she says he has and has an accent that she has to turn the volume up in order to understand. I tell her if he is from Canada and the US what kind of accent does he have that she can’t understand. Her answer was he was raised in Ottawa so may French? I don’t buy it! And another red flag is that they communicate not through the Facebook dating app but on a Google messaging platform. At this time, she is getting upset with anything I am trying to tell her about being scammed so I just shake my head to myself AGAIN! While I am there, he is sending her romantic memes of love. I am thinking like what now he and you are in Junior High?!She tells me that he is sending her a present/package and is excited to see what it is. So now he has her address. Anyway, we then leave to go to our local bar and grill for the evening. I can tell she is upset and very quiet. She is on her phone a lot and going into the bathroom for extended periods of times. I finally ask her what is going on and she says she told him that I am telling her he is a scammer and that we are best friends, and I am just very worried about her. He comes back to tell her he is going to come as soon as he can, and I will be the first person he will want to meet to prove that he is real. I told her GOOD! I hope so for your sake!” She continued to be on the phone messaging back and forth and by this time I am done with harassing her about it. We haven’t talked since and mainly on my part because I can’t keep my mouth shut. I did a search on him through PeopleLooker and the Ken Morgans in the Richmond California are definitely not him. I don’t know how to do a people search in Canada. I told my daughter about him, and she got on Facebook and sent a friend request to him, but I doubt he will accept. Oh, and that’s another thing…I asked my friend if they were now Facebook friends and she said no he hasn’t accepted her friend request…yet.
Besides just sitting back and waiting for this to break her heart, I don’t know what to do.
We offer a free support group specifically for families and friends of victims in total denial like your friend. You are welcome to come and join us and we can guide you through this process: https://www.facebook.com/groups/scars.support.for.families/
This scam is a rampant one. A few years back I encountered a guy who posted family pics of he and his 3 children. He claimed to be a widower. He claimed to own a successful constructive company but he was moving to my area “Oakland, CA” RED FLAG. I posted that I lived in So. Cali without naming the city. He said, I’m wrapping up my company here and am moving close to you” He was so busy telling me he was ready for love, etc etc. He wanted me to send him more pics. There were at least 5 (all recent pics) on my profile. I declined. I immediately knew it was a scammer and I blocked him. No more than a week later I received another message with a pic from a new guy and his 2 boys who, you can guess, was a widower who was moving to my area. I blocked him and haven’t had a dating profile since. BEWARE…the scam is not new. The pics are stolen from the internet and they are usually out of state or the country, usually for business. Their geography is the first red flag. If it sounds too good to be true. It’s a fake. Be careful.
Anybody run across” Brandon Long” on Facebook? He sends a photo of himself (no way is it really him) and he is quite undeniably gorgeous! Silver beard, glasses, dark eyes and beautiful face, he has tribal tattoo running down one arm and on his back. He claims to be a construction engineer living in Denver ,Colorado, he also claims to originally be from Denmark, and he claims his parents sre dead and that he is anonly child– says his father was a preacher and very wealthy (as a preacher?! Doubt it guy! He has a nice voice and a European accent on the phone, claims to be working on a big project in Australia, he moves fast too! He will have you “engaged within a month or two; thanks to deepfake technology he had me believing I was talking to him via video chat. He also faked a passport he sent me an image of (of course); his facebook page is no longer active (he claims it was hacked, but most likely he took it down after things began to get hot for him, or perhaps facebook caught on and shut him down. I hired a company to track down my $97,000 he scammed from me(yes, you read thdt right!), and they found out he has various offshore accounts; one wallet held $350,000, so he isn’t exactly new to the game. Just wondering if anybody else here was scammed by him or if he ruined their lives too. Oh, and I wanted to warn y’all about this creep.
I got a live Romance Scammer on the line. Richard Walker a marine engineer from San Francisco, face book profile on music he likes you click it and it goes to west African music artist.
Plus I started to figure him out when he asked to switch from Facebook messenger due to reception to google chat. Both programs are online. (Google chat does save the history of conversation.)
Today he asked if I like gifts and I said yeah. Then he quickly responded what will get my daughter for her upcoming birthday. Wow what the nerve!
Here is the link to his
https://www.facebook.com/shanesnestor.shabani
If you haven’t lost anything, just report them to the platform and block them. Wasting time on them serves no real purpose. Report and block.
Anyone know Brian Kavanaugh, mayson Dylan, Dylan mayson, all the same person using photos of a famous film maker. He has scammed hundreds of thousands of dollars and still scamming. I am in a support group trying to get him caught
Sandar tetteh she is a romance scammer using Hangouts to scam people needs to be reported to Google right now and reported to the police.
Well, i still can’t believe i could get my money back from George claiming fake lover,
finance charge back via website , am so suprise tho! This guy do NOT WORTH IT ,PLEASE HAVE IT IN MIND, ALOT OF FAKE LOVERS SCAMMER ARE ON THE PROWL DON’T FALL FOR THEIR SWEET LIES! OKAY
i have a guy telling me he is genral stephen townsend chatting me up wish he could be caught
Scammers are arrested every day. Over 130,000 just last year alone! We post daily arrests on our main Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/SCARS.News.And.Information
I report scammers on Facebook. At least 769. And Facebook never deletes them. Instead they block me from using Facebook or messenger, they are usually the entry bitcoin scam kids. Who report to the larger groups. I even know the main top scammers they report to. I usually chat with them with one intention, to keep them from scamming an old woman like me….I see some who were. My relatives have had to block me as my profile is full of them, but I have a list on messenger also. Including pats names as they have made new profiles. They even post their Nigerian or Ghanaian or Indonesia phones and Facebook as told me. Over 700 times they are “ not a threat to the public “
Yes, it usually takes between 5 to 20 reports before Facebook acts now.
Take your whole list including the King Pins and report them to http://www.Anyscam.com and to the U.S. FTC at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/#/?orgcode=SCARS
Mary Brookman, met her on Facebook. Too good to be true. Iives in the states somewhere near Chicago. She is a looker. I will go along with it until money etc is mentioned, then I will know if she is a scammer. I will then block her. She is on Instragram as well and the photos tally up with the name unless it is stolen identity. If she is a scammer she won’t get any money etc out of me. I really hope it is genuine, but probably not. I am not bad looking but somewhat older than her. I really hope it is real love, but knowing my luck probably not. I lost my girl friend last year she got s kidney stone and died. So I am a bit vulnerable, but as I said I will treat as a scammer when any whiff of money ins involved. But will go along with it at the moment. Get my touch typing skills better
Even though you do not want to accept it, you already know you are dealing with a scammer. Why waste any more time?
Has any one heard of Mary Brookman
There are literally billions of fake identities used by scammers online. No one has heard of an identity until they do. If you have doubt, then it is a scammer. Block them and move one. Be sure to read our 3 Steps Guide. https://romancescamsnow.com/dating-scams/scars-3-steps-for-new-scam-victims/
This “lady” has pictures in her profile that are from a 45 year old German journalist named Judith Rakers, but she pretends to be Juliette Manflot, born in Belgium 32 years ago and now living in France. I got suspicious because she was acting like I was the one, which is odd when one is 38 years older. So I got out of her claws before things could get worse. This is her profile, and again, the picture on her profile is not her.
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100070299895326
shekel ornald bodye is a scammer from bahamas, his own comments on facebook ask for social security numbers and or identities and tells girls how to learn to do “business” with him and that social number also has been said that sells drugs etc….see the youtube videos
be careful….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2d9zbEi0c8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDWQWs7Gfng
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIGHnm29Yzg
Sarah Marshall from KY, asking for money for pics and videos and wants you to download a paypal app where she uses the name sayrah, gearing towards men.
any know a Dave Kalstrom ffrom Norway lives in georgia usa has a 15 yr old daughter workind as a contractor on an oil rig in north sea off of Scotland im his 60’s
Caira Lopez as been whapping me after talking to me on Facebook saying she needs $25 to buy food I buy an Amazon card and scratch and take a photo and send it to her as anyone come across this person, that’s how she spells her first name but her English is not the best and it more likely it should be spelt “Ciara”
Met a scam artist on Facebook. Said his name is Omar Thomas AKA Captain Lindegaard Madsen. Flaunted 5.5 Million dollars to me on google Hangout, plus a diamond ring. He asked me to buy him a $500.00 iTunes gift card and said he can’t do it for himself, cause he’s at sea outside the United States. He knows he’s been had by me. I way outsmarted him. Beware of him, because He’s a REAL CHARMER!
Yes those scammers are nasty people. I myself have run into a bunch of them. For shame.
Met on facebook said his name is ethan Skase
any body know a guy name Lucas Hugo, he lives and UK
Anyone know a female Rachel Galindo..wanting to find out if she is a scammer?
I Think I am being scammed, started in fb said he was a marine engineer for chevron goes by Paul M Ray born Berlin /Germany living in London, hes real good this guy !!!still talking first time wanted to put a pension into my account, if I didn’t trust him then to open another account empty, now into 4 weeks he now says hes been robbed in Germany whist on a contract there , im just waiting for him to ask for money ,so does any one know a paul ray from London I have lots of photos .
Why are you wasting your time, of course it is a scam.
Hola. Soy española y me han estafado 7000 euros con una historia parecida. Es una gran estafa y no parara de mentirte y manipularte hasta conseguir dejarte en la ruina. Ten cuidado.
Hola. Es la misma historia por la que un hombre Willson Anthony me ha estafado 7000 euros. Es una gran estafa y son muy manipuladores.
Does anyone know jack Harrington he said he lost his wife and has a daughter and he on his on his company and worked on AOL rig in California.
Hola. Soy española y me han estafado con esa misma historia 7000 euros. El presunto estafador se llamaba Willson Anthony y tenia una hija llamada Vivian. Es una gran estafa.
I have a tragic story…in fact two….involving Oil and Gas Industry, romance, and even children,oil rig. Safety Engineer and subsea Engineers….but first …how do I proceed to find out if the photos are stolen from Ghanean scammers with a ton of lovely photos from two individuals…I have names and photos…but not if the scammers of course …indeed to find out…I lost $15,000.00CAD….and this will hurt me forever!
I had 2 men in the oil has industry. Both stuck on oil rigs. Edward Henry and Remy Freeman. Had a couple of hits but did not speak with them for any duration.. Met on Words with Friends.
Do you have pictures of them you could post . There one name jack Harrington on a oil rig and he needs money to get off oil rig he wants to come wete I live have not gave address wete I live.
I met a scammer using the name Taylor Karen and she was using Ariana Maries pictures and I knew instantly that it was a scammer because I know who Ariana Marie is.
That same profile tried to scam me,Taylor Karen and it had pics of Ariana Marie
His name is not jack Harrington
Anyone know an Angela Boyard in France posing as Elodie Vedrine
IT started on Facebook army sergeant Delbert byes claimed he was widowed after a few weeks said he was falling for me after a while he was asking for money to get him home so he could be me and would love to meet my family and also meet his children and he’d need some money to get home like fool l helped as I’d become very fond of him anyway after I’d made a payment to him by money gram which sent to Turkey but he needed more as taxes had fine up to send a brief case to release him from the army this when on for a while l ended up sending a totel of 22000 to him it was then l was told he was scammer and lived in Nigeria I’ve now no savings left and now in debt
Sie brauchten die Summe von 1950 USD, um das Online-Konto zu erstellen und mein Geld an Sie zu überweisen
this is the message I got from a very handsome man (stolen picture) trying to get me to date him. I translated and it talks about an account he created to send money. I am sure he sent it to me by accident.
Beware of a “Larry Barry” on Facebook
Same thing happened to me. I opened a new FB profile as my phone crashed. Suddenly 3 guys contact me via fb. It was obvious they were all a hoax but this one guy Lewis Glenn, he’s good, oh yeah. Even though I knew I was being conned I have continued just to see how far he thinks he can take it. Great accent, picture of him and his dog (I feel sorry for the guy who this pic really is of). This Lewis guy must have found the general area I live in, where I was born etc, He really studied my profile and obviously did some research. He has an accent, sounds French to me which immediately sent the NIGERAL RED FLAG UP. Says its German, LOL. Anyway I did sent him a stupid $25 ITUNES card, pic of front and back. Boy he wouldn’t leave me alone until I sent it. Also like many others, convinced me to go to Google Hangouts to chat. Blocked me on messenger as I could see when he was online. I don’t know how these people live with themselves and sleep at night. The harm they can do to so many innocent people just makes me sick.
I think my sister is getting cones by vin deisal aka Mark snider. She is on instagram and commented on a com diesel post then got contacted her on a private msg.. they have been sending msg to each other. Now this person isvleadingbhervto believe that they might have a romances but needs her to sign some sort of confidentiality contract and she did. She swerved he has done live chat why her using hang outs. Anyone imo anything
This to is happening to a friend of mine but they talk on google hangouts.
Die Betrüger wollen fast immer in Google Hangout schreiben weil man sie da nicht nach verfolgen kann
This same guy Vincent Sinclair or Mark Vincent Sinclair found me on facebook. Lured me to google plus private chat room and was nice and friendly for one week. He said he was taking a vacation and was somewhere in Turkey. He claimed he needed my help he lost his credit card and needed $1000 ASAP. I said no and then he got angry and produced a fake photo ID of Vin Diesel. It went on and on into guilt trips, flattery, sarcasm, and finally I blocked him. I still have the chat on Google Plus but I am unable to transfer it to this site.
Bitte den Kontakt unbedingt sofort beenden, das ist alles eindeutiger Betrug
leslie compton on pof and other dating sites. claims to be rom us but had to move to Ghana. within 2 hours asking me to send money, cute blonde girl 30 stay away
It starts on face book then they lead you to a chat site,Mark Vincent Sinclair AKA Vin Diesel They need help their credit card isn’t working. I’m trying to help a local orphanage. Can you trans money into your account and keep part then wire me the rest.