Dark Forest Theory – Scams and Scam Victims
Understanding a Sociological Avoidance Behavior in Scam Victims and Their Desire to Avoid Notice
Primary Category: Sociology of Scam Victimization
Author:
• Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.
About This Article
The Dark Forest Theory, viewed through a sociological and anthropological lens, suggests that in environments of uncertainty or competition, entities—whether civilizations or individuals—remain hidden to avoid exposing vulnerabilities and risking exploitation or harm.
This concept is rooted in survival strategies where distrust and fear of unknown others drive defensive, secretive behavior. When applied to human interactions, particularly in the realm of scams, the theory explains why victims, after being deceived, might isolate themselves to avoid further manipulation.
The fear of vulnerability leads to a “dark forest” mentality, where both victims and potential predators operate in hidden, guarded ways, and trust becomes a scarce resource. Victims may withdraw from social engagements, just as civilizations in the “dark forest” conceal their presence to protect themselves.
The “Dark Forest” Theory – Applied to the Sociology of Scam Victimization
Dark Forest Theory Introduction
The “Dark Forest” theory (conjecture?), developed by Chinese author Liu Cixinwhen, when viewed through sociological and anthropological lenses, is a concept rooted in the idea that in a competitive or survival-driven environment, entities (like civilizations, cultures, tribes or groups, or individuals) avoid revealing themselves or showing vulnerability out of fear that doing so will lead to harm or exploitation. This theory reflects fundamental ideas about trust, scarcity, and competition in human societies, where interactions with unknown others are often seen as potentially dangerous.
Sociology of Scam Victimization
Developed by the SCARS Institute, the Sociology of Scam Victimization examines the social, psychological, and institutional factors that shape the experiences of individuals who become victimized by scams, fraud, or other deception. It explores how societal attitudes, stigmas, and systemic responses influence the way victims are perceived and treated by their families, communities, and institutions. This field also investigates how social structures, like trust, power dynamics, psychology and neurology, and vulnerability, contribute to a person’s likelihood of being targeted and victimized by scams. Furthermore, it highlights the importance of social support and recovery mechanisms for victims while addressing the harmful effects of victim-blaming and isolation that can hinder their healing process.
Sociological Interpretation
In sociology, the “Dark Forest” theory can be understood as a reflection of distrust in complex social environments. When resources (like power, money, or safety) are scarce or perceived as limited, groups or individuals may develop a sense of paranoia or fear that others will act against their interests if given the chance. This leads to a self-protective stance where entities avoid signaling their presence or intentions, mirroring how human societies sometimes isolate themselves or build barriers (physical or psychological) to protect against perceived threats. As we now know, this is not paranoia, there are predators prowling the streets and online.
This can be seen in various societal behaviors:
Isolationism in International Relations: Countries may adopt isolationist policies to avoid becoming targets of other nations’ aggression, similar to how tribes in the “Dark Forest” remain hidden. This fear-based diplomacy arises from the assumption that other nations are potential threats, requiring secrecy and caution.
Urban Anonymity: In large, densely populated cities, individuals often avoid deep interpersonal connections with strangers. People develop protective behaviors, like avoiding eye contact or sharing personal details, which reflects an instinctual fear that revealing too much could make them vulnerable to exploitation or harm.
Anthropological Interpretation
From an anthropological perspective, the “Dark Forest” theory is closely related to the concept of competition for survival and the ways in which human communities historically dealt with other groups. Throughout human evolution, early tribes often treated unfamiliar groups with suspicion or hostility, assuming that outsiders might pose a threat to their resources or well-being. This behavior can be traced back to:
Tribalism and In-Group vs. Out-Group Dynamics: Early human societies relied on strong in-group loyalty for survival. Out-groups, or those who were not part of the immediate social circle, were often perceived as competitors for resources or as threats. As a result, hiding or masking intentions and keeping a low profile in interactions with outsiders could help a group avoid conflict or exploitation. This was the evolutionary imperative that developed deception in pre-history.
Hunter-Gatherer Defensiveness: In prehistoric times, human groups often practiced concealment or deception to protect their resources (like hunting grounds or water sources) from other competing groups. Similar to the “Dark Forest” theory, the fear of being discovered by another group could lead to the use of stealth and secrecy to ensure survival.
Application to Scammers and Victims
Applying the “Dark Forest” concept to scams, it becomes evident that scammers exploit a similar dynamic of mistrust and fear while engaging in deceptive tactics. Here’s how it relates to both scammers and victims:
Scammers as Predators in the Dark Forest: Scammers operate like predators lurking in the “dark forest” of the internet or financial systems. They hide behind fake identities, false promises, and manipulated emotions, waiting for victims to reveal vulnerabilities. Much like civilizations in the dark forest avoid revealing themselves, scammers keep their true intentions hidden, using trust as a bait while keeping their real identity and goals concealed.
Victims as Prey: Victims, on the other hand, are often caught unaware, their defenses lowered due to the scammers’ ability to manipulate trust and familiarity. However, after being scammed, victims enter a state of heightened suspicion, much like cultures and groups that realize the dark forest is full of hidden dangers. They may withdraw from social interactions, isolate themselves, and become hypervigilant, fearing future attacks or manipulations.
Post-Scam Isolation: After realizing they’ve been deceived, scam victims may develop a “dark forest” mentality, where they avoid further interactions, fearing that anyone could be a potential threat. This parallels how civilizations hide in the dark forest to avoid detection. The psychological toll of such an experience often includes a deep loss of trust, not just in others but in oneself, leading to isolation and avoidance of risk.
In essence, the “Dark Forest” theory, when applied to the scam dynamic, highlights the predatory nature of scammers and the defensive, often isolating reactions of victims. Just as civilizations in the dark forest hide to avoid annihilation, victims may retreat into emotional and social isolation to protect themselves from further harm, while scammers thrive by staying hidden in plain sight.
Key Elements of the Dark Forest Theory and Scams
Yes, the “Dark Forest” concept from The Three-Body Problem can be applied metaphorically to the relationship between scammers and their victims. Here’s how it could be interpreted:
Fear of Exposure
In the Dark Forest theory, cultures hide from one another out of fear of being destroyed, preferring not to reveal their existence. Similarly, in the world of scams, both scammers and victims operate in a space where trust is precarious, and exposure is dangerous. Scammers hide behind fake identities and manipulative tactics, while victims, once deceived, may feel a deep sense of shame and guilt, preferring to keep their victimhood hidden from others out of fear of judgment or further exploitation.
Preemptive Behavior
Just as cultures might preemptively attack others to prevent future threats, scammers act preemptively to manipulate and deceive before they are discovered. They often escalate their schemes quickly, taking advantage of victims’ emotions and trust before the victim can realize what’s happening. On the other hand, some victims might respond by withdrawing or becoming overly cautious and distrustful of others, adopting a “preemptive” defensive posture to avoid further harm, similar to cultures avoiding contact to ensure survival.
Survival at Any Cost
In our world, survival is paramount, and any perceived threat must be eliminated. For scammers, their survival relies on deception, secrecy, and manipulation to extract financial or personal gains. They approach every interaction with potential victims as a resource to be exploited. For victims, especially those recovering from scams, the focus shifts to psychological and emotional survival, often leading to isolation, hypervigilance, and mistrust of future interactions, much like how civilizations isolate themselves to avoid danger. We also see this play out on the streets of Nigeria where scammer cultist groups use extreme violence to avoid risk.
Lack of Trust
One of the central elements of the theory is the inherent lack of trust between cultures or groups, driven by fear of potential threats. In the context of scams, this lack of trust is similarly manipulated and eroded. Scammers exploit the inherent trust victims place in others—whether through online relationships, businesses, or organizations. Once a victim has been deceived, their trust in others, including genuine friends, institutions, or even future opportunities, can be severely damaged. This loss of trust can leave scam victims isolated, fearful, and hesitant to engage in social interactions or financial transactions, creating long-lasting psychological scars that hinder their recovery and reintegration into society.
Embracing Judgment through Boundaries
Scam victims should understand that while it’s natural to fear judgment after experiencing fraud, they do not deserve or need to endure harsh, toxic judgment. The emotional toll of being scammed is already significant, with feelings of shame, guilt, and self-blame being common. However, these emotions are normal reactions to trauma and do not indicate any inherent flaw in the victim. They stem from the psychological manipulation and exploitation that scammers use, which can happen to anyone.
It’s essential for scam victims to seek out supportive, empathetic communities—be they friends, family, professional counseling, or dedicated support providers for scam recovery. These environments encourage healing by offering understanding, guidance, and positive-judgmental spaces for victims to process their trauma.
The key to this is the development of new boundaries!
However, toxic online communities or groups that assume hate-filled rhetoric or victim-blaming can be highly damaging. Such groups often amplify feelings of shame by judging victims as naive or careless or amplifying distress through hate for scammers. Engaging with these communities can reinforce negative feelings, making it harder for victims to move forward and recover. These toxic spaces often thrive on blame, oversimplifying the complexity of scam victimization and overlooking the sophisticated psychological tactics that scammers employ and the very real victim trauma.
Victims should avoid such environments to protect their mental health. It’s vital to remember that anyone can become a victim of a scam, and the focus should be on healing, learning from the experience, and rebuilding trust in oneself—not on accepting unfair judgment. Surrounding oneself with supportive and constructive voices will encourage a more rapid recovery and prevent further emotional harm from toxic judgments.
‘Tall Poppy Syndrome’
The related concept of the “Tall Poppy Syndrome”, particularly common in Australia and New Zealand, refers to the cultural phenomenon where individuals who stand out due to their achievements or success are often cut down or criticized to maintain social equality. This tendency to discourage individuals from rising above the norm can have an impact on scam victims too, particularly in how they deal with the aftermath of their experiences.
For scam victims, there can be a fear of standing out and being judged harshly. Regardless of where scam victims are, societal norms may discourage individuals from drawing attention to themselves. Victims of scams may feel an amplified sense of shame or embarrassment, especially in families that tend to put each other down. They might be particularly hesitant to speak out about their experiences, fearing they will be perceived as foolish or gullible and cut down by their peers for making poor decisions.
This societal pressure can contribute to victim-blaming and make it difficult for victims to seek help or support. Instead of reaching out for assistance or sharing their story, scam victims tend to internalize their trauma, isolating themselves to avoid being judged harshly by others. This creates an environment where victims may feel that by admitting their mistakes, they risk being further marginalized.
This combination of cultural norms and social expectations can significantly impact the emotional recovery of scam victims. The pressure to conform and not stand out, combined with the societal stigma around being scammed, may make victims more reluctant to seek support, increasing their vulnerability to emotional distress and long-term psychological harm. Addressing these cultural factors in victim recovery programs is essential to creating a more supportive environment where victims feel safe to come forward without fear of judgment.
Fortunately, in the proper context of support and therapy that can be set aside.
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Important Information for New Scam Victims
- Please visit www.ScamVictimsSupport.org – a SCARS Website for New Scam Victims & Sextortion Victims
- SCARS Institute now offers a free recovery program 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!
Statement About Victim Blaming
Some of our articles discuss various aspects of victims. This is both about better understanding victims (the science of victimology) and their behaviors and psychology. This helps us to educate victims/survivors about why these crimes happened and to not blame themselves, better develop recovery programs, and to help victims avoid scams in the future. At times this may sound like blaming the victim, but it does not blame scam victims, we are simply explaining the hows and whys of the experience victims have.
These articles, about the Psychology of Scams or Victim Psychology – meaning that all humans have psychological or cognitive characteristics in common that can either be exploited or work against us – help us all to understand the unique challenges victims face before, during, and after scams, fraud, or cybercrimes. These sometimes talk about some of the vulnerabilities the scammers exploit. Victims rarely have control of them or are even aware of them, until something like a scam happens and then they can learn how their mind works and how to overcome these mechanisms.
Articles like these help victims and others understand these processes and how to help prevent them from being exploited again or to help them recover more easily by understanding their post-scam behaviors. Learn more about the Psychology of Scams at www.ScamPsychology.org
SCARS Resources:
- Getting Started: ScamVictimsSupport.org
- FREE enrollment in the SCARS Institute training programs for scam victims SCARSeducation.org
- For New Victims of Relationship Scams newvictim.AgainstScams.org
- Subscribe to SCARS Newsletter newsletter.againstscams.org
- Sign up for SCARS professional support & recovery groups, visit support.AgainstScams.org
- Find competent trauma counselors or therapists, visit counseling.AgainstScams.org
- Become a SCARS Member and get free counseling benefits, visit membership.AgainstScams.org
- Report each and every crime, learn how to at reporting.AgainstScams.org
- Learn more about Scams & Scammers at RomanceScamsNOW.com and ScamsNOW.com
- Learn more about the Psychology of Scams and Scam Victims: ScamPsychology.org
- Self-Help Books for Scam Victims are at shop.AgainstScams.org
- Donate to SCARS and help us help others at donate.AgainstScams.org
- Worldwide Crisis Hotlines: International Suicide Hotlines – OpenCounseling : OpenCounseling
- Campaign To End Scam Victim Blaming – 2024 (scamsnow.com)
Psychology Disclaimer:
All articles about psychology and the human brain on this website are for information & education only
The information provided in this and other SCARS articles are intended for educational and self-help purposes only and should not be construed as a substitute for professional therapy or counseling.
Note about Mindfulness: Mindfulness practices have the potential to create psychological distress for some individuals. Please consult a mental health professional or experienced meditation instructor for guidance should you encounter difficulties.
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.
If you are in crisis, feeling desperate, or in despair please call 988 or your local crisis hotline.
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