SCARS Institute Research Lab

Scam Victim Storytelling Survey

Every scam victim has a story, and how you tell it, who you tell, and what it means to you can change over time.

This SCARS Institute survey asks about your experience with sharing your story: whether you have told anyone, how people reacted, how telling it feels, and how you feel when you hear other victims’ stories. Your answers help us understand what supports victims and what makes sharing harder. The survey takes about 10 minutes, and you are free to skip any question you prefer not to answer. We never ask for your name, and your answers remain completely anonymous.

Glossary

See the full ScamsNOW Magazine Glossary

Why Do Research?

Scams are crimes built on deception, and the only way to understand them fully is to study them carefully. Research shows how scammers find their targets, which methods they use, and how their tactics change over time. That knowledge helps law enforcement, banks, and the public spot scams sooner and stop them before more people are harmed.

Research also reveals what victims go through. Surveys capture experiences that rarely appear in police reports, such as shame, isolation, trauma, and the long road back to stability. When thousands of victims answer the same questions, patterns emerge that no single story shows. Those patterns explain why some victims recover faster than others, which kinds of support help most, and where victims struggle the most.

The science behind victim recovery depends on this evidence. Psychology, trauma research, and victimology all need real data from real survivors to build better care. Each answer helps counselors, support groups, and advocates replace guesswork with methods that work. It also helps clear away myths, such as the belief that only careless or foolish people fall for scams.

Every survivor who takes part in a survey adds to that knowledge. Your experience becomes part of the evidence that helps the next victim heal.

SCARS Institute

Leave A Comment