Tim McGuinness Ph.D. Archives

Scam Victim Empathy – How It Is Lost And How It Comes Back In Time – Recovery Psychology 2023

Scam Victim Empathy How It Is Lost And How It Comes Back In Time Recovery Psychology Authors: • Vianey Gonzalez – Psychologist, Certified Deception Professional, Psychology Advisory Panel & Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. • Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Most Scam Victims Lose Their Empathy When Trauma Sets In – Usually Immediately Following The End Of The Scam/Fraud But it does come back in time! Empathy is an elusive thing for scam victims. Right Read More ...

SCARS Editorial Team2023-11-27T23:28:20-05:00November 27th, 2023|Categories: • ARTICLES & REPORTS, • RECOVERY PSYCHOLOGY, ♣ FEATURED ARTICLES, 2023, Tim McGuinness Ph.D., Vianey Gonzalez|Tags: Empathy, Lost Empathy, Recovery Psychology, Scam Victim Empathy, Scam Victim Recovery|

Fear Of Contagion: Why Scam Victims Are Harshly Judged And Blamed 2023

Fear Of Contagion: Why Scam Victims Are Harshly Judged And Blamed Helping Both Victims and Families or Friends to Better Understand Author: • Vianey Gonzalez – Psychologist, Certified Deception Professional, Psychology Advisory Panel & Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. • Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Fear Of Contagion – The Hidden Fear of Crime Victims: How Nonvictims Engage In Denial, Projection, And Extreme Judgmentalism Against Scam Victims After a scam, victims experience a unique reaction based Read More ...

SCARS Editorial Team2023-11-26T17:26:22-05:00November 26th, 2023|Categories: • ARTICLES & REPORTS, • PYSCHOLOGY OF SCAMS, • RECOVERY PSYCHOLOGY, ♣ FEATURED ARTICLES, 2023, Tim McGuinness Ph.D., Vianey Gonzalez|Tags: Fear Of Contagion, Judgment, Scam Victims, Victim Blame, Victim Judging|

Pride – A Dual Edged Sword For Scam Victims 2023

Pride – A Dual-Edged Sword For Scam Victims Author: • Vianey Gonzalez – Psychologist, Certified Deception Professional, Psychology Advisory Panel & Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. • Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Pride And Shame Can Be Considered Two Sides Of The Same Coin For Scam Victims Individuals who had great pride in their achievements, success, stability, and even wealth before a scam may experience significant shame and self-doubt when they are no longer able Read More ...

SCARS Editorial Team2023-11-24T03:04:27-05:00November 24th, 2023|Categories: • ARTICLES & REPORTS, • RECOVERY PSYCHOLOGY, ♣ FEATURED ARTICLES, 2023, Tim McGuinness Ph.D., Vianey Gonzalez|Tags: Adaptive Pride, Maladaptive Pride, Pride, Recovery Psychology, Scam Victims, Shame, Victim Recovery|

Selective Amnesia and Scam Victim Psychological Trauma 2023

Selective Amnesia and Scam Victim Psychological Trauma 2023 Author: • Vianey Gonzalez – Psychologist, Certified Deception Professional, Psychology Advisory Panel & Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. • Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Selective Amnesia Can Be Caused By Emotional or Psychological Trauma! Selective amnesia is a type of memory loss where specific events or experiences are forgotten while others are retained. This type of amnesia is often a coping mechanism to protect the individual from Read More ...

SCARS Editorial Team2023-11-23T19:25:51-05:00November 23rd, 2023|Categories: • ARTICLES & REPORTS, • RECOVERY PSYCHOLOGY, ♣ FEATURED ARTICLES, 2023, Tim McGuinness Ph.D., Vianey Gonzalez|Tags: Emotional Trauma, Memory, Psychological Trauma, Recovery Psychology, Selective Amnesia|

Toxic Self-Narratives That Feeds Depression in Scam Victims 2023

Toxic Self-Narratives That Feed Depression in Scam Victims Author: • Vianey Gonzalez – Psychologist, Certified Deception Professional, Psychology Advisory Panel & Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. • Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Toxic Self-Narratives Can Profoundly Affect Scam Victims How It Manifests, The Damage It Can Do, How To Recognize It, And Ways To Reduce Or Control It Toxic self-narratives are prevalent in the aftermath of a scam, often amplifying the emotional distress and spiraling Read More ...

SCARS Editorial Team2023-11-19T14:34:43-05:00November 19th, 2023|Categories: • ARTICLES & REPORTS, • RECOVERY PSYCHOLOGY, ♣ FEATURED ARTICLES, 2023, Tim McGuinness Ph.D., Vianey Gonzalez|Tags: Emotional Recovery, Negative Thoughts, Recovery Psychology, Rumination, Toxic Self-Narratives|

Striatum – Psychology of Scams 2023

Striatum – Inside the Brain of a Scam Victim Psychology of Scams Authors: • Vianey Gonzalez – Psychologist, Certified Deception Professional, Psychology Advisory Panel & Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. • Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Striatum – Our Journey Into The Brain Of Scam Victims Continues The striatum is a cluster of interconnected nuclei that form a part of the basal ganglia, a group of structures in the brain that are involved in motor control, Read More ...

SCARS Editorial Team2023-11-11T21:28:26-05:00November 11th, 2023|Categories: • ARTICLES & REPORTS, • PYSCHOLOGY OF SCAMS, ♣ FEATURED ARTICLES, 2023, Tim McGuinness Ph.D., Vianey Gonzalez|Tags: Dopamine, Psychology of Scams, Striatum, The Human Brain|

Psychological Triggers/Emotional Triggers – What They Are And How They Work – 2023/2024

Psychological Triggers/Emotional Triggers – What They Are And How They Work SCARS Recovery Psychology Author: • Vianey Gonzalez – Psychologist, Certified Deception Professional, Psychology Advisory Panel & Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. • Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. What Are Psychological Triggers or Emotional Triggers? Why Do They Have So Much Control Over Our Emotions And Mind? A psychological trigger is a stimulus that elicits or provokes a strong emotional or psychological response. Psychological triggers Read More ...

SCARS Editorial Team2023-11-08T15:47:16-05:00November 8th, 2023|Categories: • ARTICLES & REPORTS, • RECOVERY PSYCHOLOGY, ♣ FEATURED ARTICLES, ♣ VICTIM TRAUMA GRIEF SUPPORT & RECOVERY, 2023, Tim McGuinness Ph.D., Vianey Gonzalez|Tags: Amygdala Hijack, Emotional Triggers, Manipulation, Psychological Triggers, Recovery Psychology, Trauma Responses|

PTSD And Complex PTSD – The Difference Between Them – 2023

PTSD And Complex PTSD – The Difference Between Them Authors: • Vianey Gonzalez – Psychologist, Certified Deception Professional, Psychology Advisory Panel & Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. • Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Understanding the Scam Victim’s Challenges Navigating the Differences Between PTSD and Complex PTSD Scam victims face intricate nuances in their trauma, by shedding light on the contrasting impacts of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD) we hope to Read More ...

SCARS Editorial Team2023-11-06T10:36:55-05:00November 6th, 2023|Categories: • ARTICLES & REPORTS, • RECOVERY PSYCHOLOGY, ♣ FEATURED ARTICLES, 2023, Tim McGuinness Ph.D., Vianey Gonzalez|Tags: C-PTSD, Complex Grief, Complex PTSD, PTSD, Recovery Psychology, Scam Victims, Victim Recovery|

PTSD and Complex Grief/Complicated Grief – What Are The Differences? 2023

PTSD and Complex Grief – What Are The Differences? Authors: • Vianey Gonzalez – Psychologist, Certified Deception Professional, Psychology Advisory Panel & Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. • Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. PTSD and Complex Grief/Complicated Grief: The Two Main Disorders That Often Confuse Scam Survivors And That Affect Scam Victims (Not Including Anxiety Or Depression) These two main disorders are PTSD and Complex Grief. Scam victims can easily develop one or the other. Read More ...

SCARS Editorial Team2023-11-04T11:03:32-04:00November 4th, 2023|Categories: • ARTICLES & REPORTS, • RECOVERY PSYCHOLOGY, ♣ FEATURED ARTICLES, ♣ VICTIM TRAUMA GRIEF SUPPORT & RECOVERY, 2023, Tim McGuinness Ph.D., Vianey Gonzalez|Tags: Complex Grief, Complicated Grief, Grief, Ment Disorder, Mental Condition, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD, Trauma|

Mental Compartmentalization And Recovery For Scam Victims 2023

Mental Compartmentalization And Recovery For Scam Victims Authors: • Vianey Gonzalez – Psychologist, Certified Deception Professional, Psychology Advisory Panel & Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. • Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Mental Compartmentalization Hinders Recovery For Emotional Or Psychological Trauma Mental compartmentalization is something we all do, however, when it is done by scam victims to avoid painful emotions or to acknowledge trauma, it prevents healing and it can have significant negative effects. It can Read More ...

SCARS Editorial Team2023-10-29T19:19:00-04:00October 29th, 2023|Categories: • ARTICLES & REPORTS, • RECOVERY PSYCHOLOGY, ♣ FEATURED ARTICLES, 2023, Tim McGuinness Ph.D., Vianey Gonzalez|Tags: Avoidance Mechanism, Emotional Compartmentalization, Mental Compartmentalization, Negative Coping Mechanism, Recovery Psychology, Scam Victims, Trauma, Victim Recovery|

Understanding Criminality – What Is Its Essence? 2023

Criminality – What Is Its Essence? Author: • Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Understanding the Essence of Criminality is Very Difficult For Victims! The essence of criminality involves engaging in actions or behaviors that are prohibited by law and deemed harmful to individuals, communities, or society as a whole. Read More …

SCARS Editorial Team2023-10-29T13:09:52-04:00October 29th, 2023|Categories: • ARTICLES & REPORTS, • CRIMINOLOGY, ♣ FEATURED ARTICLES, 2023, Tim McGuinness Ph.D.|Tags: Criminality, Criminals, Criminology, Understanding Crime|

Scammers Are The New Boogeymen! 2023

Scammers Are The New Boogeymen! Author: Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Scammers, Fraudsters, And Con Artists Have Gained A Formidable Reputation As The New-Age Boogeymen, Lurking In The Digital Shadows, Waiting To Pounce On Unsuspecting Victims. While there’s no denying the existence of scams and their devastating consequences, it’s essential to differentiate between the real threat and irrational fear. Let’s explore the rise of scammers as the new boogeymen and the implications of this growing fear on society’s ability to Read More ...

SCARS Editorial Team2023-10-26T05:10:28-04:00October 26th, 2023|Categories: • ARTICLES & REPORTS, • PYSCHOLOGY OF SCAMS, ♣ FEATURED ARTICLES, 2023, Tim McGuinness Ph.D.|Tags: Boogeyman, Boogeymen, Irrational Fear, Scammers|

Filling The Victim Void After The Fake Relationship Is Gone 2023

Filling The Victim Void After The Fake Relationship Is Gone Authors: • Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. • Vianey Gonzalez – Psychologist, Certified Deception Professional, Psychology Advisory Panel & Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. How To Fill The Victim Void In Your Life After A Romance Scam Ends When a romance scam ends, it can leave a huge void in the victim’s life. The victim may have spent a lot of time and invested a Read More ...

SCARS Editorial Team2023-10-18T20:00:39-04:00October 18th, 2023|Categories: • ARTICLES & REPORTS, • RECOVERY PSYCHOLOGY, ♣ FEATURED ARTICLES, 2023, Tim McGuinness Ph.D., Vianey Gonzalez|Tags: Relationship Scams, Romance Scams, Scam Victims, Victim Void|

Secrets Can Be Deadly For Scam Victims – Scam Victim Recovery Psychology

Secrets Can Be Deadly For Scam Victims – Scam Victim Recovery Psychology Authors: • Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. • Vianey Gonzalez – Psychologist, Certified Deception Professional, Psychology Advisory Panel & Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Unmasking the Burden of Secrecy: How Keeping Secrets Deepens the Trauma for Scam Victims The experience of falling victim to a scam can be profoundly traumatic. Scam victims often grapple with a wide range of emotions, from anger and Read More ...

SCARS Editorial Team2023-10-16T19:48:39-04:00October 16th, 2023|Categories: • ARTICLES & REPORTS, • RECOVERY PSYCHOLOGY, ♣ FEATURED ARTICLES, 2023, Tim McGuinness Ph.D., Vianey Gonzalez|Tags: Recovery Psychology, Scam Victim, Scams, Secrets|

Do Scam Victims Become Cynics After Their Scam Experience? 2023

Do Scam Victims Become Cynics After Their Scam Experience? Authors: • Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. • Vianey Gonzalez – Psychologist, Certified Deception Professional, Psychology Advisory Panel & Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Experiencing A Major Scam Firsthand Changes Scam Victim’s World Views Profoundly! What is Cynicism? Cynicism is a general distrust of human sincerity and motives. It is the belief that people are generally motivated by self-interest and that there is no such thing Read More ...

SCARS Editorial Team2023-10-09T10:40:42-04:00October 8th, 2023|Categories: • ARTICLES & REPORTS, • RECOVERY PSYCHOLOGY, ♣ FEATURED ARTICLES, 2023, Tim McGuinness Ph.D., Vianey Gonzalez|Tags: Cynic, Cynical, Cynicism, Realism, Realists, Scam Victims|

Conformity & Romance Scams And How It Affects Scam Victims 2023

Conformity & Romance Scams And How It Affects Scam Victims By: • Vianey Gonzalez – Psychologist, Certified Deception Professional, Psychology Advisory Panel & Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. • Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. One Of The Types Of Manipulation You Experienced Was Of Your Own Making! But Was Still Not Your Fault! Conformity is the act of changing your behaviors in order to fit in or go along with the people around you. Conformity Read More ...

SCARS Editorial Team2023-10-05T20:05:13-04:00October 5th, 2023|Categories: • ARTICLES & REPORTS, • PYSCHOLOGY OF SCAMS, • RECOVERY PSYCHOLOGY, ♣ FEATURED ARTICLES, 2023, Tim McGuinness Ph.D., Vianey Gonzalez|Tags: Affects Scam Victims, Conformity, Fraud Victims, Romance Scams, Scam Victims|

Shifting Baseline Syndrome (SBS) And Scam Awareness

Shifting Baseline Syndrome (SBS) And Scam Awareness Authors: • Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. • Vianey Gonzalez – Psychologist, Certified Deception Professional, Psychology Advisory Panel & Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. A Question Often Asked Is Why Doesn't Scam Awareness Training And Information Reduce Victimization? The Answer May Just Be Shifting Baseline Syndrome! Humans tend to prioritize risks based on immediate threats, and one of the ways we identify immediate threats is by rapid changes in our environment, such Read More ...

SCARS Editorial Team2023-10-10T14:45:11-04:00September 30th, 2023|Categories: ♣ FEATURED ARTICLES, • ARTICLES & REPORTS, • PYSCHOLOGY OF SCAMS, 2023, Tim McGuinness Ph.D.|Tags: Public Awareness, SBS, Scam Awareness, Scam Victims, Scams, Shifting Baseline Syndrome|

Relationship Scams And Their Impact On Memory

Relationship Scams And Their Impact On Memory By: • Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. • Vianey Gonzalez – Psychologist, Certified Deception Professional, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Memory And Your Recollections Of A Relationship Scam Can Be Wrong! The very first thing to know about memory after you have been in a relationship scam is that trauma has a profound impact on your mind. You are not what you think you are. You are a Read More ...

SCARS Editorial Team2023-10-04T10:38:30-04:00September 25th, 2023|Categories: ♣ FEATURED ARTICLES, • ARTICLES & REPORTS, • PYSCHOLOGY OF SCAMS, • RECOVERY PSYCHOLOGY, 2023, Tim McGuinness Ph.D., Vianey Gonzalez|Tags: Brain Functions, Distorted Memories, False Memories, Grief, Memory, Relationship Scams, The Brain, Trauma|

Contractualism and Supporting the Victims of Online Crime

Contractualism By Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Civilization Only Exists Because Of The Commitments That Bind Us All Together – This Is The Foundation Of Contractualism! Who cares about Contractualism philosophy after you have been scammed? Does it help you recover or get your money back? Actually, it does, it is the foundation of how we live and work together! That is what Contractualism is all about and why understanding it is so very important! Most of you reading this Read More ...

SCARS Editorial Team2023-09-26T21:20:49-04:00September 23rd, 2023|Categories: ♣ FEATURED ARTICLES, • ARTICLES & REPORTS, • RECOVERY PSYCHOLOGY, • SCAM / FRAUD VICTIM SUPPORT & RECOVERY, 2023, Tim McGuinness Ph.D.|Tags: Contractualism, Crime Victim Support, Moral Philosophy, Scam Victims, Support Groups, T. M. Scanlon|

FTC Victim Predators

Attn: Federal Trade Commission

There is a WAR going on against scam victims!

A war where for-profit companies are exploiting and deceiving the victims of scams and financial fraud!

WE ASK THE FTC TO STOP EXPLOITATION OF SCAM VICTIMS NOW!

This war is being led by predatory for-profit companies that want more of these desperate and panicked crime victims\' money or to lead them away from legitimate support!

These companies claim they can get the victim\'s money back or that they will investigate the crime and have the criminals arrested - neither they can do. The victim usually receives a document or two and nothing more for the thousands of dollars they pay in advance for these services. Services that within the United States these companies must be licensed as private investigators to even provide any crime investigations or money recovery services, yet almost all of these companies lack state licenses.

There are cryptocurrency tracing companies that use automated tools to generate a paper report and charging scam victims thousands of dollars in advance for this service! These victims are desperate for help and looking for answers, and instead of sending them to real victims\' assistance providers they are pulling them in and costing them more of the precious little money they have left! What the scammers do is bad enough, but these real companies are exploiting victims one more time!

We call on the Federal Trade Commission to begin exploring this exploitation of crime victims - specifically scam or financial fraud victims by private investigating, money recovery, and other for-profit companies service companies!

We believe that this falls under the Commission\'s authority to regulate deceptive trade practices.

This is despicable and deceptive trade practice that should be banned in the United States without proper state licensing and full and complete disclosure about what they can and cannot do. We also believe the companies and their principals operating without proper legal licenses now should be banned from these activities permanently.

Please do what YOU can to bring this to the attention of the FTC Chair and staff!

Thank you!

Vianey Goes and Tim McGuinness, Ph.D., Directors,
Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.
A crime victims\' assistance & crime prevention nonprofit supporting scam victims worldwide for free!
contact@againstscams.org

**your signature**