Psychological Violence
An Overview of Why Scam Manipulation & Control are Considered Psychological Violence
Primary Category: Psychology of Scams
Author:
• Tim McGuinness, Ph.D., DFin, MCPO, MAnth – Anthropologist, Scientist, Polymath, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.
About This Article
Psychological violence refers to the deliberate infliction of emotional and mental harm on an individual, often resulting in long-lasting damage to their well-being. In the context of scam victims, this type of violence manifests through the systematic grooming, manipulation, and control tactics employed by scammers.
These tactics are designed to erode the victim’s sense of self-worth, autonomy, and reality, leading to severe emotional distress. The effects of psychological violence on scam victims can include anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), compounded by feelings of shame, guilt, and self-blame.
This form of abuse also isolates victims from their support networks, further trapping them in a cycle of emotional and psychological distress that can be challenging to break. Recognizing and addressing the impact of psychological violence is crucial for the recovery and rehabilitation of scam victims.

Psychological Violence and its Effects on Scam Victims
Psychological violence refers to any form of emotional or mental abuse that causes harm to an individual’s psychological well-being. Unlike physical violence, which inflicts bodily harm, psychological violence targets a person’s mental state, often leading to long-lasting emotional damage. It can be subtle or overt, and its effects are often deeply damaging, contributing to issues like anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Why are Scams Psychological Violence?
The grooming, manipulation, and control exercised during relationship scams are considered psychological violence because they involve deliberate and sustained efforts to harm an individual’s mental and emotional well-being. Unlike physical violence, which leaves visible scars, psychological violence works to undermine a person’s sense of self-worth, autonomy, and reality through coercion, deception, and exploitation. The scammer’s tactics are designed to create deep emotional bonds, instill false hope, and foster dependency, all while isolating the victim from external support systems. This manipulation often leads to severe emotional distress, anxiety, depression, and a profound sense of betrayal, all of which can have lasting psychological effects.
Moreover, the control exerted by scammers is a form of emotional and psychological domination that strips victims of their agency. Scammers exploit the victim’s vulnerabilities, manipulating their emotions to the point where the victim feels trapped in the relationship. This manipulation is not just deceitful but also abusive, as it systematically breaks down the victim’s resistance, making them more susceptible to further exploitation. The psychological trauma inflicted in these scams can be as damaging as physical violence, leading to long-term issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), trust issues, and difficulty in forming healthy relationships in the future. In this way, relationship scams are a clear example of psychological violence, where the victim’s mind and emotions are the primary targets of abuse.
Key Components of Psychological Violence:
Verbal Abuse: This includes insults, belittling, constant criticism, or threats. Verbal abuse is aimed at diminishing a person’s self-esteem and sense of worth. It can involve yelling, swearing, or making demeaning comments.
Manipulation and Control: Psychological violence often involves manipulating someone’s thoughts, emotions, or actions. This could include gaslighting (making someone doubt their reality), controlling behavior (restricting access to money, social contacts, or activities), and using guilt or fear to control actions.
Isolation: Abusers may attempt to isolate the victim from friends, family, or support systems. This isolation can be physical (preventing the victim from leaving the house) or emotional (discouraging relationships with others).
Intimidation and Coercion: Intimidation involves actions meant to instill fear, such as threatening looks, gestures, or actions. Coercion refers to forcing someone to act in a certain way, often against their will, through threats or pressure.
Humiliation and Degradation: The abuser may humiliate or degrade the victim publicly or privately, making them feel worthless or ashamed. This can involve name-calling, mocking, or deliberately embarrassing the victim.
Blaming and Guilt-Tripping: The abuser may constantly blame the victim for things that go wrong, making them feel responsible for the abuse. Guilt-tripping is used to manipulate the victim into compliance or submission.
Gaslighting: A form of manipulation where the abuser makes the victim question their memory, perception, or sanity. This is done by denying the victim’s reality or making them feel that they are overreacting or imagining things.
Exploitation of Vulnerabilities: This involves taking advantage of the victim’s emotional, psychological, or physical vulnerabilities to maintain control or cause harm.
Impact of Psychological Violence
Psychological violence can lead to severe emotional and mental health issues, including chronic stress, depression, anxiety, PTSD, and feelings of worthlessness. The damage caused by psychological violence often requires long-term therapy and support to heal.
The impact of psychological violence on scam victims can be profound and far-reaching, affecting nearly every aspect of their lives. Victims often experience intense feelings of shame, guilt, and self-blame, questioning how they could have been deceived so thoroughly. This emotional turmoil can lead to significant mental health challenges, including anxiety, depression, and even post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The manipulation and deceit used by scammers not only violate the victim’s trust but also leave them doubting their own judgment and instincts, which can make recovery even more challenging. This erosion of self-confidence can lead to long-term difficulties in rebuilding trust, not just in others but in themselves as well.
Moreover, the psychological violence inflicted by scammers can isolate victims from their support networks. As victims are manipulated into keeping the scam a secret or feel too embarrassed to share their experiences, they may withdraw from family, friends, and social interactions, exacerbating feelings of loneliness and despair. The financial losses that often accompany these scams only add to the stress, creating a cycle of emotional and psychological distress that can be difficult to break. The combination of these factors can have a lasting impact on the victim’s ability to form healthy relationships, maintain financial stability, and regain a sense of control over their life.
Legal Recognition
Many countries recognize psychological violence as a form of domestic or intimate partner violence, and laws have been established to protect victims. However, it can be more challenging to prove psychological violence compared to physical violence, as the evidence is often less visible and more subjective.
Please Rate This Article
Please Leave Us Your Comment
Also, tell us of any topics we might have missed.
Leave a Reply
Thank you for your comment. You may receive an email to follow up. We never share your data with marketers.
-/ 30 /-
What do you think about this?
Please share your thoughts in a comment above!
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!
-/ 30 /-
What do you think about this?
Please share your thoughts in a comment above!
ARTICLE RATING
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CATEGORIES
MOST POPULAR COMMENTED ARTICLES
POPULAR ARTICLES
U.S. & Canada Suicide Lifeline 988
![NavyLogo@4x-81[1] Psychological Violence - 2024](https://scamsnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/NavyLogo@4x-811.png)
ARTICLE META
WHAT PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT LATEST SITE COMMENTS
See Comments for this Article at the Bottom of the Page
on Scam Victims In The RAIN – A Mindfulness Approach For Recovery – 2024 [UPDATED 2025]: “This technique will be helpful for me. So often I push my feelings down or “push” them behind me and…” Aug 7, 15:31
on The Tao – The Philosophy of the Path to Recovery: “Thank you for a glimpse into this method of healing and mindfulness. At the present I work with my trauma…” Aug 7, 15:18
on The Value of Slowness: “What we really need to face in this online digital world is that so much of it is false. And…” Aug 7, 15:08
on Overconfidence And Scam Victims Susceptibility To Scams – 2024 [UPDATED]: “This website really has all the information and facts I wanted about this subject and didn’t know who to ask.” Aug 3, 10:23
on A Scam Victim in Extreme Distress – Stopping the Pain – 2024: “this post really clarified a lot of things for me, and heled me to understand , there is a lot…” Aug 1, 07:31
on Glimmers of Light – the Positive Side of Experience for Scam Victims – 2025: “Very useful /helpful article for victims suffering from trauma not only of all types” Jul 31, 02:47
on Relationship Scam Victims – Impact On Employment And Jobs – Saving Employment After A Scam: “Trauma, fear of shame, grief can alter how we handle day to day situations such as work or caring for…” Jul 31, 02:08
on Fear Of Contagion: Why Scam Victims Are Harshly Judged And Blamed 2023: “This comment stems from a re-read of this article. I first read it several months ago. I understand that others…” Jul 31, 01:28
on WARNING – Scam Victims Exploited By The News Media – 2024 [UPDATED 2025]: “The article highlights some important information for victims who after years of recovery/support feel “ready” to talk to the media…” Jul 28, 18:54
on WARNING – Scam Victims Exploited By The News Media – 2024 [UPDATED 2025]: “Thank you for this explanation of the potential added on trauma a survivor could be exposed to. Definitely not worth…” Jul 21, 17:13
on Acknowledging The Harm Done – 2025: “Well written article explaining the harm done and why it is necessary to acknowledge it. In part it helped me…” Jul 21, 16:57
on Dear Scam Victim Family & Friends – You Are Also Scam Victims – 2024: “A scam is hard on everyone who loves and cares for the victim. The survivor goes through a lot to…” Jul 21, 14:04
on A Scam Victim in Extreme Distress – Stopping the Pain – 2024: “Jina, we redacted your comments since they do not comply with our policies. However, this does not invalidate what happened…” Jul 20, 21:45
on Waiting to See if Someone is Real – Take a Pause First – 2025: “The pause remains important…actually now the pause is critical. There is nothing, not a financial gain, an item, a meeting,…” Jul 20, 19:55
on Hate for Scammers and Criminals Feels So Good But is So Bad for Scam Victims – 2025: “I struggled for months with forgiveness. Forgiving myself and the criminals. About two months ago I prayed and forgave the…” Jul 20, 16:24
on The Paradox of Pain – 2025: “This is a great article and holds significance for me. Initially after my crime I felt such pain. It would…” Jul 20, 12:19
on A Scam Victim in Extreme Distress – Stopping the Pain – 2024: “[REDACTED FOR POLICY REASONS]” Jul 20, 11:40
on The Unique Injury Of Betrayal Trauma On Scam Victims – 2024: “It will come as recovery progresses, but stopping and then restarting recovery after years makes it harder. Just keep learning…” Jul 19, 21:10
on Waiting to See if Someone is Real – Take a Pause First – 2025: “Very valuable information for all /including myself/ who still struggle with their own impulsive reactions.” Jul 19, 06:21
on The Unique Injury Of Betrayal Trauma On Scam Victims – 2024: “It’s so hard to recover the compassion and reliability in the daily communication with others especially the scam trauma was…” Jul 18, 19:38
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
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
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 not to blame themselves, better develop recovery programs, and 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 INSTITUTE RESOURCES:
If You Have Been Victimized By A Scam Or Cybercrime
♦ If you are a victim of scams, go to www.ScamVictimsSupport.org for real knowledge and help
♦ Enroll in SCARS Scam Survivor’s School now at www.SCARSeducation.org
♦ To report criminals, visit https://reporting.AgainstScams.org – we will NEVER give your data to money recovery companies like some do!
♦ Follow us and find our podcasts, webinars, and helpful videos on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RomancescamsNowcom
♦ Learn about the Psychology of Scams at www.ScamPsychology.org
♦ Dig deeper into the reality of scams, fraud, and cybercrime at www.ScamsNOW.com and www.RomanceScamsNOW.com
♦ Scam Survivor’s Stories: www.ScamSurvivorStories.org
♦ For Scam Victim Advocates visit www.ScamVictimsAdvocates.org
♦ See more scammer photos on www.ScammerPhotos.com
You can also find the SCARS Institute on Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, and TruthSocial
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.
Also read our SCARS Institute Statement about Professional Care for Scam Victims – click here
If you are in crisis, feeling desperate, or in despair, please call 988 or your local crisis hotline.
More ScamsNOW.com Articles
A Question of Trust
At the SCARS Institute, we invite you to do your own research on the topics we speak about and publish. Our team investigates the subject being discussed, especially when it comes to understanding the scam victims-survivors’ experience. You can do Google searches, but in many cases, you will have to wade through scientific papers and studies. However, remember that biases and perspectives matter and influence the outcome. Regardless, we encourage you to explore these topics as thoroughly as you can for your own awareness.
I grew up in a war torn country. I have grieved the loss of loved ones. I can really say that this trauma is psychological warfare on our community. I am left abandoned, devastated, traumatized and in debt. Still… I will get up to fight another day.