Predurance of Scammers and their Scam Victim – A Waiting Game
Examining the Unique Role of Patience (Predurance) in Predator (Scammer) Prey (Scam Victim) Interactions
Primary Category: Psychology of Scams
Authors:
• Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.
About This Article
“Predurance” refers to the patience and calculation scammers exhibit while grooming and manipulating their victims, akin to a predator in the wild. This concept captures the deliberate and sustained process through which scammers prepare their victims for financial exploitation.
Scammers begin by identifying vulnerable individuals, establishing initial contact through various channels, and building trust by posing as empathetic and trustworthy figures. They create dependency by offering emotional support and advice, often isolating victims from others to reduce outside intervention.
Throughout this process, scammers test boundaries with minor requests, setting the stage for larger financial demands. Once confident in their control, scammers escalate their demands, applying psychological pressure and exploiting the trust they have built.
The impact on victims is profound, leading to financial ruin and emotional trauma.
Combating predurance involves awareness, education, and strong social networks, with law enforcement and financial institutions playing crucial roles in prevention and support. Understanding predurance helps in recognizing manipulation signs and protecting oneself from such deceit.
Predurance of Scammers: The Art of Patiently Grooming and Manipulating Their Victims
When looking at the extraordinary techniques of scammers, one aspect rises above many others: Scamemr Predurance
The term ‘Predurance’ is the of patience and calculation that scammers exhibit while waiting on or working their scam victims, akin to a predator in the wild.
This concept refers to the sustained patience and strategic endurance that scammers display while grooming and manipulating their victims, meticulously preparing them for the final strike—the harvesting of their money.
Understanding Predurance
Predurance is derived from predator endurance and captures the essence of the sustained and deliberate patience exhibited by those who prey on others. Unlike a quick or impulsive attack, predurance involves a slow, methodical process where the scammer carefully observes, engages, and builds a relationship with the scam victim over time. This extended period of manipulation is crucial for setting the stage for the ultimate goal: financial exploitation.
The Process of Grooming & Manipulation
Scammers begin by identifying potential targets, often choosing individuals who appear vulnerable, such as the elderly, the lonely, or those facing financial difficulties.
The grooming process involves several key stages:
Initial Contact: Scammers reach out to their targets through various channels—social media, email, phone calls, online games, or dating sites. The initial contact is usually benign, aimed at establishing a connection and gaining the victim’s trust.
Building Trust: Over time, scammers engage in conversations using techniques that create a sense of familiarity and trust (triggering cognitive biases such as the Mere Exposure Effect.) They often present themselves as empathetic, understanding, and trustworthy individuals, sometimes posing as friends, romantic interests, military or government officials, or business partners.
Creating Dependency: As the relationship develops, scammers work to create a sense of dependency. They might offer emotional support, financial advice, or companionship, making the victim increasingly reliant on them for emotional or practical needs.
Isolation: Scammers often encourage their scam victims to cut ties with others who might dissuade them from the developing relationship. By isolating their scam victim, the scammer reduces the chances of the victim receiving outside advice or intervention, and rendering their predurance all for nothing.
Testing Boundaries: Throughout the grooming process, scammers test their victim’s boundaries by their techniques, such as as love bombing, engaging in supportive communications, and making small requests for favors. These minor tests help gauge the victim’s willingness to comply and pave the way for larger demands.
The Harvest: Striking at the Right Moment
Once the groundwork is laid and their predurance has paid off, and the scammer feels confident in their control over the scam victim, they move to the control and harvesting phase.
This stage is where the patience and meticulous planning of predurance pay off:
Escalating Demands: The scammer begins to initiate their need for money, often fabricating urgent or emotional situations that require financial assistance. This might include medical emergencies, business opportunities, or legal troubles.
Applying Pressure: Scammers continue to use predurance (patience) as long as the scam victim is compliance but use psychological pressure to compel the victim to comply if needed. They might express urgency, create a sense of guilt, or threaten to withdraw their affection or support if their demands are not met.
Exploiting Trust: By this point, the scam victim is deeply entangled in the scammer’s deception and is more likely to comply with significant financial requests due to the established trust and dependency.
Continued Manipulation: Even after obtaining money, scammers often continue to manipulate their victims, either by making additional demands or by keeping the relationship alive to exploit them further in the future, such as by converting them into a money mule.
The Impact on Victims
The impact of such scams on scam victims is profound, often resulting in financial ruin, emotional trauma, and a deep sense of betrayal. Scam victims may find it difficult to trust others again and can experience long-lasting psychological effects such as anxiety, depression, and a diminished sense of self-worth.
Combating Predurance
Awareness and education are critical in combating the predurance of scammers. Potential scam victims must understand about the tactics scammers use and be encouraged to seek advice and support from trusted sources. Additionally, maintaining strong social networks can help individuals avoid isolation, making them less vulnerable to scams.
Law enforcement and financial institutions also play a vital role in detecting and preventing scams. By monitoring suspicious activities and providing resources for victims, these institutions can help mitigate the damage caused by predurance.
Summary
The concept of predurance highlights the intricate and patient strategies employed by scammers (or any predator) to exploit their victims.
Understanding this process can help in recognizing the signs of manipulation and taking proactive steps to protect oneself and others from falling prey to such deceit, as well as helping victims recover through learning and understanding scammer techniques. As with any predator-prey relationship, awareness, vigilance, and support are key to breaking the cycle of exploitation and ensuring that potential scam victims remain out of reach of those who seek to do them harm.
Definitions
PATIENCE
Patience (noun) is the ability to wait, stay calm, and accept delay, difficulty, or annoyance without getting upset or complaining.
The word “patience” has a rich etymological history that traces back to Latin. Here’s a breakdown of its origin and development:
Latin Roots: The word “patience” comes from the Latin word “patientia,” which means “quality of suffering or enduring.” “Patientia” itself derives from “pati,” meaning “to suffer” or “to endure.”
Old French: The Latin “patientia” evolved into the Old French word “pacience” or “patiance” around the 12th century, retaining the meaning of enduring hardships or suffering without complaint.
Middle English: From Old French, the word entered Middle English as “pacience” or “paciens,” where it continued to signify the capacity to endure pain, suffering, or misfortune with calmness and without complaint.
Modern English: Over time, the spelling and pronunciation evolved into the modern English word “patience,” which still carries the core meanings of endurance, forbearance, and the ability to wait calmly for something desired.
The evolution of the word reflects its consistent association with the concept of enduring hardship, suffering, or delay with composure and without complaint.
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PERDURANCE
Perdurance (noun) is a noun that refers to the quality of something lasting or enduring, often forever. It’s a formal word, so you might encounter it more in writing than in everyday speech. The word is British English.
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PREDURANCE
Predurance: (noun) The quality or state of a predator exhibiting sustained patience and endurance while waiting for the right moment to capture its prey. This term encapsulates the deliberate and calculated waiting period that a predator undergoes during the hunt, characterized by vigilance and restraint.
Original term coined by Dr. McGuinness of SCARS to describe the patience scammers or any predator exhibit in grooming or waiting on their victims before they strike.
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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.
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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.
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