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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2,700 Scam Slaves Rescued In The Philippines [VIDEO]

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

2,700 People (Scam Slaves) Tricked Into Working For Cybercrime Syndicates Rescued In the Philippines

Philippine police backed by commandos staged a massive raid this week and said they rescued more than 2,700 scam slaves – workers from China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, and more than a dozen other countries who were allegedly swindled into working for fraudulent online gaming sites and other cybercrime groups.

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EncroChat Dismantling Led To Over 6,500 Arrests

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

Dismantling EncroChat Encrypted Criminal Communications Network Leads To Over 6,500 Arrests And Close To Eur 900 Million Seized

European Judiciary and law enforcement present the first overview of the results of EncroChat investigations!

The dismantling of the encrypted communications tool EncroChat, widely used by organized crime groups (OCGs), has so far led to 6 558 arrests worldwide. 197 of those arrested were High-Value Targets. This result is detailed in the first review of EncroChat, which was presented today by the French and Dutch judicial and law enforcement authorities in Lille.

The successful takedown of EncroChat followed the efforts of a joint investigation team (JIT) set up by both countries in 2020, supported by Eurojust and Europol. Since then, close to EUR 900 million in criminal funds have been seized or frozen.

The Dismantling of EncroChat

The dismantling of EncroChat in 2020 sent shockwaves across OCGs in Europe and beyond. It helped to prevent violent attacks, attempted murders, corruption and large-scale drug transports, as well as obtain large-scale information on organized crime.

OCGs worldwide illegally used the encryption tool EncroChat for criminal purposes. Since the dismantling, investigators managed to intercept, share and analyse over 115 million criminal conversations, by an estimated number of over 60 000 users.  User hotspots were prevalent in source and destination countries for the trade in illicit drugs, extortion, and fraud, as well as in Read More …

Stalking Law Gutted By The U.S. Supreme Court

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

Stalking Is Free Speech? Supreme Court guts protections for cyberstalking victims!

Critics say the 7-2 decision will protect those stalking who are merely delusional about the consequences of their actions.

Stalking law was gutted by the Supreme Court when it ruled on Tuesday, June 27th, 2023, that in order to find someone guilty of making a “true threat” courts must first determine that the person recklessly disregarded the fact that their words might be perceived as threats.

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Pedophile Extortion Scam By West Africans

By French & Belgium Police, and SCARS Editorial Team – Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.

Extortion Scam: West African Scammers Accuse Men Of Being Sexual Predators – Some Took Their Own Life!

Police in France and Belgium say they have arrested 19 members of gangs involved in this extortion scam who sent people fake court summonses that accused them of viewing images of children being sexually abused.

People who received the extortion messages were threatened with prosecution and tricked into paying thousands of Euros in supposed fines.

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EUROPOL Arrests 43 Members Of An Organized Criminal Network In Italy

By EUROPOL

43 Members Of An Italian Organised Criminal Network Arrested

The large-scale law enforcement operation clamped down on a poly-criminal network abusing public offices in Calabria and engaged in numerous types of crime, including hacking and cybercrime, fraud, and money laundering.

43 members of the criminal network ‘Ndrangheta were arrested in the early hours of 27 June in a joint operation supported by Europol and Eurojust. Over 1 000 officers from Italian, German and Austrian law enforcement authorities cracked down on members of the Italian criminal network based in Crotone, a city in the Italian province of Calabria. Among the detainees from the criminal network, who are predominantly of Italian nationality and include German and Austrian nationals, is a High-Value Target believed to be a key player in this particular criminal structure. 16 companies, 25 real estate properties, and 15 vehicles worth over EUR 5 million were seized during the operation. The joint law enforcement operation saw the deployment of special forces, drones, canine units, and several helicopters.

Investigators found that the criminal network engaged in an alarming variety of criminal activities including:

• Corruption of local politicians;
• Manipulation of elections;
• Installment of confidants in crucial administrative positions;
• Collusion in public procurement tender procedures;
• Murder, violence, and extortion;
• Fraud (including online scams, cybercrime) and money laundering;
• Illicit waste trafficking;
• Criminal conspiracy with other criminal organizations.

Poly-Criminal Network Abusing Public Offices

Based on the evidence collected during the joint Read More …

A Proposal from SCARS to Reduce Bank Wire/Money Transfer Fraud

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

A Proposal To Reduce App Fraud In The Banking Industry

SCARS introduces a new proposal for the banking industry to help stop Wire Transfer Fraud/Scams (Authorized Push Payment Fraud) at the point of contact.

Almost all deterrents and education programs have failed to stop victims from sending money to criminals. Something more is needed. In the UK the bank employees call the local police to talk with victims and this has proven very effective, but that will not work in the United States. This proposal, we believe, addresses all the issues in a process already compliant with U.S. law.

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49 Scammer Nigerian Gang Taken Down

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

49 Scammers Arrested In Another Major Raid In Nigeria – Another Gang Taken Down

The Nigerian Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) Arrests 49 Internet Fraud Suspects in Ekiti, Oyo, Nigeria

In a typical week, the Nigerian EFCC is taking down 2-3 small-medium-sized gangs a week. Unfortunately, almost never large-scale organizations.

Operatives of the Ibadan, Nigeria Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have arrested 47 (forty-seven) suspected internet fraudsters, plus 2 others – 49 total

The Nigerian suspects were arrested at Ikere Road and Iworoko areas of Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State following intelligence on their alleged cyber fraud activities in the State.

The Nigerian suspects are Adeyemi Joshua Adeniran, Ajaye Redmond Damilare, Nwaji Mathew, Jegede Boluwaji Victor, Oyetunji Sunday Wole, Damilola Awopetu Ayomide, Ajayi Temitope Ayomide, Babajide Adebisi Victor, Balogun Precious Akinwale, Obie Jacob Onatakaroma, Olonitola Olamilekan, Ajewole Ojo Kayode, Aina Toluwani Emmanuel, Adebayo Akinwumi Oluwadamilare, Omowaye Oluwatosin Olamilekan, Oyewale Francis Oyomilekan, Arowolo Ayomide Gift, Shotonwa Babatunde Omotoyosi, Ochochie Silas Ochola, Ojo Seyitan David, Onile Ayodeji Raphael, and Abiodun Oluwatosin Opeyemi.

Others are: Adebayo Gbenga Musbau, Oyebade Ayomide Olamide, Egunjobi Samuel Gbenga, Oladokun Toheeb Adeko Save la, Adesola Benjamin Adebowale, Edamisan Olakunle, Adesola Isaac Babatunde, Oyewole Gideon David, Lawal Tosimile Moses, Adeleke Adekunle Samson, Oladiti Abiodun Akanji, Ajayi Charles Temitayo, Adeyemi Oluwasegun Adeboye, Ernest Solomon Temitope and Atoun Olalekan Timilehin.

The rest are: Olorunyomi Sina Ayo, Babatunde Emmanuel Babalola, Read More …

Cybersecurity Failure Is Inevitable – Plan For It

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

The Saying NEVER SAY NEVER Is More Applicable In Cybersecurity & Online Safety Than Ever

Businesses are aware they need to plan for their cybersecurity, but they don’t know they also need to plan for their failure!

All cybersecurity is ultimately dependent on people, and people fail.

In fact, people almost always fail – not every day, but eventually, someone will make a mistake. Cybersecurity must do the right things 100% of the time, but the bad guys only need one mistake.

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Canadian Man Convicted in Multimillion-Dollar Psychic Mass-Mailing Fraud Scheme

By U.S. Department of Justice

A Federal Jury in the Eastern District of New York convicted a Canadian man today for perpetrating a decades-long mass-mailing Psychic fraud scheme that stole more than $175 million from victims in the United States.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Patrice Runner, 57, a Canadian and French citizen, operated a mass-mailing Psychic fraud scheme from 1994 through November 2014.

As part of the scheme, Runner sent Psychic letters to millions of U.S. consumers, many of whom were elderly and vulnerable.

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Nigerian National Sentenced to 82 Months in Prison for International Scheme That Defrauded Elderly U.S. Victims

By United States Department of Justice

A Nigerian national, who was previously extradited to the United States from the United Kingdom, was sentenced to 82 months in prison on June 21, 2023, for his role in a transnational inheritance fraud scheme.

According to court documents, Emmanuel Samuel, 39, a Nigerian, was part of a group of fraudsters that sent personalized letters to elderly victims in the United States, falsely claiming that the sender was a representative of a bank in Spain and that the recipient was entitled to receive a multimillion-dollar inheritance left for the recipient by a family member who had died years before in Portugal.

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INTERPOL Issues Global Warning On Human Trafficking-Fueled Fraud

By INTERPOL

The NEW Scheme, Where Victims Are Trafficked To Work In Online Scam Centres, Has Shifted From A Regional Crime Trend To A Global Threat.

INTERPOL HQ SINGAPORE: For the past several years, INTERPOL has been closely observing a growing crime phenomenon: large-scale human trafficking where victims are lured through fake job ads to online scam centres and forced to commit cyber-enabled financial crime on an industrial scale.

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Dear Police Officers: Write An Email

Make The Extra Effort For Your Transnational Scam/Fraud Victims

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

Attention Police Officers & Leadership Concerned With Fraud

As a local police officer, you probably never considered this, but YOU CAN send a local victim’s complaint to police agencies in other countries on behalf of your local victims!

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The Subtle Sabotage Of Blame In Cybersecurity & Online Safety

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

Blame in Cybersecurity & Online Safety is Rampant!

We all do it, we all blame someone for something.

Sometimes blame is justified, sometimes there is cause, and it is very hard to remove it from your vocabulary – but it is always destructive.

I recently heard a cybersecurity training professional tell a story about motivating a corporate team to do better with cybersecurity. It was something to the effect that they needed to learn the material because “You don’t want to be the one that lets a breach happen!” That is blame!

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Romance Scammers’ Favorite Lies Exposed

By Emma Fletcher – U.S. Federal Trade Commission

Scammers Are Liers! We All Know This!

Romance scammers are especially expert at crafting stories to lure and hold their victims

Romance scammers tell all sorts of lies to steal your heart and money, and reports to the FTC show those lies are working. Last year’s romance scam numbers looked a lot like 2021 all over again, and it’s not a pretty picture. In 2022, nearly 70,000 people reported a romance scam and reported losses hit a staggering $1.3 billion.[1] The median reported loss: $4,400.[2]

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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.

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The Cost Of Global Cybercrime

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

Cybercrime is Costing Every Person on this Planet $750 per Year!

CONSIDER: Global Cybercrime Is Above USD$6 Trillion Dollars Per Year Now!

That Is $6 Trillion Dollars A Year in costs just from cybercrime! It Will Soon Pass $8 Trillion (According To Some Estimates).

Cybercrime is costing more than the GDP (Gross Domestic Product) of 8 of the top 10 economies in the world!

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Cybercrime/Cybersecurity Training Has Failed!

A commentary on the state of cybercrime/cybersecurity training and helping victims avoid scams/fraud/cybercrime.

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

Cybercrime/Cybersecurity training does not work?

Cybercrime training, also known as cybersecurity training, is a form of education that aims to teach individuals and organizations how to protect themselves against cyberattacks and other forms of online threats. But it mostly has failed.

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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.

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The Power of Slowness: Navigating Cyber Threats with Deliberation

A new approach to personal & corporate cybercrime avoidance – slowness!

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

Is Slowness the Answer?

Let’s admit the truth.  Almost all cyber & online safety training is failing!

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Privacy and security of genetic information: Putting DNA companies to the test

By Lesley Fair, Federal Trade Commission – reprint

Some secrets are so secret that no one knows about them. Until recently that described the secrets locked within our DNA. But a key to consumer confidence in the burgeoning genetic testing marketplace is the extent to which people can depend on a company’s promise that “Your secret’s safe with us.”

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