• SCAM / FRAUD VICTIM SUPPORT & RECOVERY Archives

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|

Magical Thinking – How Biased & Delusional Thinking Enslaves Scam Victims

How Magical Biased & Delusional Thinking Enslaves Scam Victims By Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. The Enchanting Deception: Unraveling How Delusional Thinking Entraps Scam Victims The Shackles of Fantasy (Magical Thinking): In a world filled with the allure of magic and fantasy, it is easy to be captivated by extraordinary promises and grand illusions – this is the root of Magical Thinking. Unfortunately, this same allure can become a dangerous trap, leading individuals into the realm of delusional thinking. In Read More ...

SCARS Editorial Team2023-07-22T09:43:13-04:00July 22nd, 2023|Categories: • RECOVERY PSYCHOLOGY, • ARTICLES & REPORTS, • PYSCHOLOGY OF SCAMS, • SCAM / FRAUD VICTIM SUPPORT & RECOVERY, • SCAM/FRAUD VICTIMS, • VICTIMS & VICTIMOLOGY, ♣ FEATURED ARTICLES, 2023|Tags: Cognitive Bias, Delusional Thinking, Magical Thinking, Psychology of Scams, Victim Recovery|

What Really Are Vulnerabilities That Lead To Scams?

What Really Are Vulnerabilities That Lead To Scams? By Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. What Are Victim Vulnerabilities And What Do We Mean By Them? We often talk about victim vulnerabilities as though they magically explain everything about why people are victimized by scams & financial fraud. But what are they really? The purpose of this article is to help all scam victims and their families and friends to understand that vulnerabilities can be varied, that many are just part Read More ...

SCARS Editorial Team2023-07-19T13:24:29-04:00July 19th, 2023|Categories: • PYSCHOLOGY OF SCAMS, • ARTICLES & REPORTS, • RECOVERY PSYCHOLOGY, • SCAM / FRAUD VICTIM SUPPORT & RECOVERY, • VICTIMS & VICTIMOLOGY, ♣ FEATURED ARTICLES, 2023|Tags: Psychology of Scams, Victim Vulnerabilities, Victimology, Vulnerabilities, Vulnerable|

Three Components Of Well Managed Victim Support Groups – SCARS Support Group Handbook Part 1

Three Components Of Well Managed Victim Support Groups Part 1 of the SCARS Official Handbook for Scam Victim Support & Recovery Groups By Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. In The Creation And Management Of Victim Support Groups To Help Traumatized Scam Victims There Are A Range Of Required Components In this series of articles about victim support groups we will explore what those components are, the application of best practices, and how best to support victims through to stability and Read More ...

SCARS Editorial Team2023-07-12T05:06:50-04:00July 12th, 2023|Categories: • RECOVERY PSYCHOLOGY, • SCAM / FRAUD VICTIM SUPPORT & RECOVERY, • SCAM/FRAUD VICTIMS, • VICTIMS & VICTIMOLOGY, ♣ FEATURED ARTICLES, 2023|Tags: Camaraderie, Creating a Support Group, Directed education, SCARS Handbook, Social interaction, Support Groups, Support Management, Victim Support|

Changes In A Scam Victim’s Life

Changes In A Scam Victim’s Life By Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. After A Scam Or Crime Is Over, Its Victims Are Left To Figure Out How To Go Forward And What Changes Need To Be Made In Their Life! Scam victim changes come at every stage of the post-crime recovery. They vary from stage to stage as the person goes from being a victim to a survivor to a thrive! At each stage, different changes are needed both for Read More ...

SCARS Editorial Team2023-07-11T17:45:30-04:00July 11th, 2023|Categories: • RECOVERY PSYCHOLOGY, • ARTICLES & REPORTS, • SCAM / FRAUD VICTIM SUPPORT & RECOVERY, • VICTIMS & VICTIMOLOGY, ♣ FEATURED ARTICLES, 2023|Tags: Behavioral Changes, Crime Victim, Fraud Victim, Life Changes, Procedural Changes, Psychological Changes, Scam Victim, Social Changes|

The Scout Mindset And Scam Victims

The Scout Mindset And Scam Victims By Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. A Curious Case Of Opposing Mindsets: Scout Mindset & Soldier Mindset What Is The “Scout Mindset” The scout mindset is a way of thinking that emphasizes curiosity, unbiased truth-seeking, and facing reality, even if that reality is unexpected. In the context of scam victims/survivors, we call these “realists.” It is the opposite of the “soldier mindset”, which is a natural tendency to use motivated (biased) reasoning to defend Read More ...

SCARS Editorial Team2023-07-08T18:58:55-04:00July 8th, 2023|Categories: • VICTIMS & VICTIMOLOGY, • ARTICLES & REPORTS, • PYSCHOLOGY OF SCAMS, • RECOVERY PSYCHOLOGY, • SCAM / FRAUD VICTIM SUPPORT & RECOVERY, ♣ FEATURED ARTICLES, 2023|Tags: Cognitive Bias, Confirmation Bias, Explorer Mindset, Scam Victim Mindsets, Scout Mindset, Soldier Mindset|

Coming In Contact With Forced Labor Scammer Slaves

Coming In Contact With Forced Labor Scammer Slaves By Rika Takebe, Vice Director, NPO Charms – a Janaese Nonprofit Supporting Japanese Scam Victims [on Facebook] What should I do if a scammer I had contact with reveals that they are a victim of human trafficking and forced labor by a fraudulent organization? There are limited direct actions you can take. While there is no guarantee of rescue, you can provide information to human rights organizations that fight against human trafficking. This may increase the chances of rescuing the forced labor victims. Read More ...

SCARS Editorial Team2023-07-06T19:15:08-04:00July 6th, 2023|Categories: • SCAM/FRAUD VICTIMS, • ARTICLES & REPORTS, • SCAM / FRAUD VICTIM SUPPORT & RECOVERY, • VICTIMS & VICTIMOLOGY, ♣ FEATURED ARTICLES, 2023|Tags: Forced Labor, Japan, Japanese Scam Victims, NPO Charms, Scam Victims, Scammer Call Centers, Scammer Slaves|

What is the Purpose of Gaslighting?

What is the Purpose of Gaslighting? By Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Gaslighting is all about Manipulation & Control Online social engineering relationship & other scams rely heavily on the technique of “Gaslighting” to hold and manipulate its victims. Read More …

SCARS Editorial Team2023-06-22T08:20:33-04:00June 22nd, 2023|Categories: • PYSCHOLOGY OF SCAMS, • SCAM / FRAUD VICTIM SUPPORT & RECOVERY, • VICTIMS & VICTIMOLOGY, ♣ FEATURED ARTICLES, 2023|Tags: Gaslighting, Manipulation, Psychology of Scams, Scam Victims, Tim McGuinness Ph.D.|

A Small Drop Of Insight About Victims’ Trauma

A Small Drop Of Insight About Victims’ Trauma By Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. An Insight about Scam Victims and How To Help One of the great challenges that we have seen in long-term victims/survivors of romance scams (and all relationship scams) is that they never return to exactly who they were. Read More …

SCARS Editorial Team2023-06-25T21:51:59-04:00June 21st, 2023|Categories: • SCAM/FRAUD VICTIMS, • SCAM / FRAUD VICTIM SUPPORT & RECOVERY, ♣ FEATURED ARTICLES, 2023|Tags: Scam Victims, Tim McGuinness Ph.D., Trauma, Victim Recovery, Victim Support|

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**