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 to maintain the same levels after being scammed.

Scam victims’ pride in themselves can quickly turn into shame, but that pride does not simply go away, it can linger and become a barrier to effective recovery – becoming a form of denial.

This can be a complex and challenging experience, but there are ways to cope with these emotions and move forward.

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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 the overwhelming emotional distress associated with the traumatic event that can affect scam victims.

How Many Crime or Scam Victims Experience Selective Amnesia

The exact percentage of people who experience emotional or psychological trauma and subsequently develop selective amnesia is challenging due to the complexities of trauma and memory. However, studies suggest that a significant portion of individuals who experience trauma may exhibit some form of memory loss, with estimates ranging from 10% to 25%.

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Crypto Seizure Breaking News: Major Romance & Pig Butchering Scam Organization Disrupted

Author:
•  U.S. Attorney’s Office, U.S. Department of Justice

Cyber Scam Organization Disrupted Through Seizure Of Nearly $9M In Crypto

Government Seizes Crypto For The Victims

The Justice Department announced today the seizure of nearly $9 million worth of Tether, a cryptocurrency pegged to the U.S. dollar. These seized funds were traced to cryptocurrency addresses [wallets] allegedly associated with an organization that exploited over 70 victims through romance scams and cryptocurrency confidence scams, which are widely known as “pig butchering.”

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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, habit formation, reward, and decision-making.

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Crypto Scams – Lloyds Bank Issues Urgent Warning Over Rising Threat

Author:
•  Lloyd’s Banking Group

Crypto scams surge on social media: Lloyds Bank warns investors, FCA issues warning, experts advise on how to stay safe

Provided by Lloyd’s Bank – unedited

• Crypto scams have surged by 23% this year as fraudsters target younger investors
• Victims losing £10,741 on average, more than any other type of scam
• Two-thirds of investment scams now estimated to start on social media
• Findings highlight importance of investing through trusted, genuine companies

A growing number of British investors risk being defrauded by a wave of fake adverts posted on social media, according to a new a warning issued by Lloyds Bank.

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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 educate victims on their differences. By exploring these differences, victims can gain a deeper understanding of the emotional struggles they may face and how these distinct forms of trauma manifest.

Remember, this is not a replacement for professional counseling or therapy, we only hope to offer valuable insights for those navigating the path to recovery.

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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. It is often the case that victims tend to gravitate towards the label PTSD because it is better known, but may not be the right term for what they are experiencing.

This is why it is so important to have a professional therapist to help make these diagnoses.

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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 freeze recovery and prevent the processing of emotions so necessary for healing.

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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 lot of emotion into the relationship, and they may feel betrayed and heartbroken. It is important to remember that you are not alone, and there are things you can do to heal and move on.

Romance scams, with their web of deceit and emotional manipulation, leave a profound impact on their victims. Beyond the financial losses, victims often face the daunting task of filling the emotional void created by the abrupt ending of what they believed was a genuine, loving relationship. The challenges faced by romance scam victims and offer insights into how they can begin to heal, rebuild their lives, and find authentic connections.

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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 is a survival response.

In some cases, this social influence might involve agreeing with or acting like the majority of people in a specific group, or it might involve behaving in a particular way in order to be perceived as “normal” by the group.

Essentially, conformity involves giving in to group pressure.

But conformity can also be with another individual – such as a romance scammer!

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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 system of physical functions that take place inside the brain and elsewhere in your body. Your memories, feelings, thinking, abilities, biases, and beliefs are all electrochemical reactions happening in your brain, nervous and limbic systems.

Why is this important to know?

Because what you remember, believe, and feel is controlled by these systems. Your very identity is not anything close to as solid as you imagine it is. The criminals that scammed you do not fully understand this, but they know how to exploit it,

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Scam Victims And The Reactivity Loop

By Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.

Reactivity Loop – How Your Mind Helps To Destroy Itself

A psychological ‘reactivity loop’ in traumatized scam victims is a pattern of negative thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that can develop after being scammed. It is a vicious internal cycle that can be difficult to let go of and break.

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Scam Victim Suicides Are Up – New Data Hints

By SCARS Editorial Team – Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.

Risk of Suicides in Scam and Financial Fraud Victims Is Sharply On The Rise

Scams and financial fraud can have a devastating impact on victims, both financially and emotionally. In some cases, the emotional toll can be so great that victims may feel like they have no other way out but to commit suicide and take their own life.

Suicides Risk

The risk of suicide is especially high among elderly victims. A study by the National Center for Victims of Crime found that the rate of suicides among elderly scam victims is twice as high as the national average. Add on the loss of their life savings and the impact is obvious!

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Projection And Scam Victims

By Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.

Projection Is A Psychological Defense Mechanism

It involves painting one’s own thoughts, views, feelings, and characteristics to someone else instead of seeing what is actually there!

With romance or other forms of relationship scams (including pig butchering scams) and their aftermath, psychological projection can play a significant role both during and after the scam.

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Why Scammers Don’t Give Up

By Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.

Almost Every Victim Continues To Receive Emails, Texts, Messages, Or Phone Calls From Their Scammers Even After The Scam Has Been Discovered And Ended!

Why do scammers do this? Don’t they know they are not getting any more money?

In today’s world, it takes no effort at all for scammers to send out mass emails, texts, messages, and even phone calls. There are thousands of online services that will do it at very low cost or for free! These bulk email services can blast out millions of emails a day!

Scammers operate very much like telemarketers after the scam ends. They know that all it takes is a small percentage of victims to have doubts about themselves and the certainty that it was a scam or be curious or impulsive. They know that the victim’s own curiosity and impulsivity work in the scammer’s favor. Plus a significant number of victims in the weeks following the ending of the crime will still have lingering doubts about whether it was in fact a scam.

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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 the case of scams, the intertwining of magical and fantasy delusions with unrealistic beliefs can enslave victims, making it challenging for them to recover from the emotional and financial devastation.

This article examines the psychological mechanisms at play, shedding light on how magical delusional thinking plays a pivotal role in perpetuating the cycle of deception.

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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 recovery.

This is the SCARS Victim Support Model

The Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams has taken the best parts of over 120 years of recovery science – including the principles and fundamentals of Alcoholics Anonymous – and applied this to the victim support of traumatized & emotionally devastated financial fraud victims to help transform them into survivors.

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Scam Victims Use Work To Avoid Healing

By Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.

When Scam Victims Throw Themselves Into Their Work After A Scam It Can Be To Avoid Confronting What Has Happened To Them

When scam victims experience trauma, it can have a profound impact on their emotional well-being and daily lives.

In some cases, trauma survivors may immerse themselves deeply in their work as a coping mechanism to avoid thinking or feeling the pain associated with their traumatic experiences.

Trauma can have a profound impact on a scam victim, both emotionally and mentally. In some cases, traumatized victims may find it difficult to cope with their emotions and may turn to work as a way to avoid dealing with their trauma.

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Synchronicities? Is There A Relationship With Scams?

By Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.

Synchronicities: For Scam Victims Coincidences Are Everywhere! Or Are They?

What are Synchronicities?

Synchronicities are meaningful coincidences or occurrences that seemingly have no causal relationship but are deeply resonant or significant to the individuals experiencing them. These events often appear as striking coincidences, where multiple events or circumstances align in a way that feels meaningful or purposeful.

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Scam Victim’s Sacred Beliefs & Their Brain

An Essay About Scammer Manipulation & Victim Recovery

By Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.

Sacred Beliefs & The Brain

In A Very Real Sense, A Relationship Scam Is A Full-on Attack On Your Sacred Beliefs!

When we refer to “sacred beliefs” in this article, we are referring to a victim’s closely held core beliefs, not to their religious beliefs.

The Brain & Sacred Beliefs

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Taol – Native American Talking Circles – A Perfect Recovery Model For Scam Victims

By Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.

Taol – The Native American Talking Circle And How We Apply It In Your Recovery!

Taol – A reprint from a Native People’s Conferrence

“Taol, or traditional talking circles, is a traditional Native American practice that SCARS uses to help traumatized crime victims recover,” according to what I presented in a recent conference.

“Taol is a safe space where victims can share their stories with others who have been through similar experiences. This can help victims to feel less alone and to begin to heal from their trauma.”

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Police Chiefs & Sheriffs: Use GoFundMe To Raise Money To Fight Cybercrime, Scams, And Fraud – And Obtain Tools & Training

By Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.

The Fight Against Cybercrime Is As Much A Local Fight As a National Or International Fight

Local police & sheriff departments are the first responders for their citizens, but in the war against cybercrime, most of them have thrown up their hands and told their citizens there is nothing they can do!

But there is very much they can do, especially when it comes to tracing and recovering the money!

However, local police need financial support to get the tools, training, and even personnel needed to do the job well.

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