A Typical Scam Victim Journey Through Recovery Challenges
Helping Scam Victims Understand What their Priorities Should Be while going through Recovery
A SCARS Scam Victim Recovery Insight – Recovery Psychology
Authors:
• Vianey Gonzalez B.Sc(Psych) – Licensed Psychologist Specialty in Crime Victim Trauma Therapy, Neuropsychologist, 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.
About This Article
The SCARS phased approach provides a comprehensive framework for understanding and addressing the challenges that afflict scam victims during their recovery process. This is not the only recovery model, but this best reflects the experience that SCARS has had with millions of scam victims over the last decade.
Prioritizing safety, trauma management, grief processing, and self-care are foundational steps in overcoming the aftermath of victimization. Recognizing and addressing feelings of shame, guilt, and grief allow victims to navigate the complex emotions associated with their experiences. Legal and practical matters, rebuilding trust, and fostering well-being further contribute to victims’ healing journey.
Each phase offers guidance tailored to victims’ unique needs, emphasizing the importance of seeking support, maintaining a commitment to recovery, and ultimately reclaiming a sense of empowerment. By following this structured approach, scam victims can navigate the complexities of their experiences and embark on a path towards healing and resilience.
A Useful SCARS Phased Approach To Understand Scam Victim Challenges
Prioritizing the challenges that afflict crime victims after a serious crime can vary depending on individual circumstances and needs.
However, here are some general guidelines on how crime victims might prioritize addressing issues such as trauma, grief, shame, self-blame, and guilt:
- Safety and Immediate Needs: The first priority for crime victims is to ensure their safety and address any immediate physical or emotional needs. This may involve seeking medical attention, securing a safe environment, and reaching out to trusted individuals or support services for assistance.
- Trauma: Addressing trauma is often a crucial step in the healing process for crime victims. Trauma can manifest in various ways, including flashbacks, nightmares, anxiety, and hypervigilance. Seeking support from mental health professionals who specialize in trauma therapy can help victims process their experiences, reduce symptoms, and regain a sense of control over their lives.
- Shame and Self-Blame: Many crime victims experience feelings of shame and self-blame in the aftermath of the crime. It’s important for victims to recognize that they are not responsible for the actions of the perpetrator and that these feelings are common reactions to trauma. Challenging negative self-talk, reframing distorted beliefs, and practicing self-compassion can help victims address shame and self-blame.
- Guilt: Victims may also experience guilt, particularly if they believe they could have prevented the crime or if they feel responsible for the consequences of the crime. It’s important for victims to acknowledge their feelings of guilt without letting them consume their thoughts or dictate their actions. Working with a therapist to explore the underlying causes of guilt and develop coping strategies can be beneficial.
- Grief: Grieving the loss of a loved one or the loss of a sense of safety and security is a natural response to crime victimization. It’s essential for victims to allow themselves to mourn their losses and express their emotions in healthy ways. Connecting with support groups, attending counseling sessions, and participating in rituals or ceremonies can help facilitate the grieving process.
- Legal and Practical Matters: Dealing with legal proceedings, filing reports, and navigating bureaucratic processes can be overwhelming for crime victims. Seeking assistance from victim advocates, legal professionals, or victim support services can help victims understand their rights, access resources, and navigate the legal system with greater ease.
- Rebuilding Trust and Safety: Rebuilding a sense of trust and safety after a crime can take time and effort. Engaging in activities that promote a sense of security, establishing healthy boundaries, and surrounding oneself with supportive and trustworthy individuals can aid in the process of rebuilding trust and reclaiming a sense of safety.
- Self-Care and Well-Being: Prioritizing self-care and well-being is essential for crime victims to regain their strength and resilience. This may involve engaging in activities that promote relaxation, enjoyment, and personal growth, such as exercise, hobbies, meditation, and spending time with loved ones. Taking care of one’s physical, emotional, and mental health is crucial for long-term healing and recovery.
It’s important to recognize that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to addressing the challenges that afflict crime victims. Each individual’s journey toward healing and recovery is unique, and victims need to seek support, guidance, and resources that resonate with their needs and preferences. By prioritizing self-care, seeking professional help, and connecting with supportive networks, crime victims can navigate the complexities of their experiences and ultimately reclaim their sense of empowerment and well-being.
SCARS Recommended Scam Victim Recovery Phases
Phase One
- First Priorities: Ending the crime, overcoming initial denial, shock, desperation, fear, regaining initial control
- Next Priorities: Accepting that are a victim of crime, and begin accepting 4 basic truths. Reporting the crime
Phase Two
- Trauma Current & Past: Trauma must be accepted. Then trauma must become managed. This must be the first focus!
- Shame: Begin overcoming shame & embarrassment
- Guilt & Self Blame: Set aside guilt & self-blame, and accept not the victim’s fault – 4 basic truths
Phase Three
- Beliefs & Cognitive Dissonance: Reconcile beliefs & identity challenges. Avoid religious justification for the events & behaviors
- Grief: Once trauma is being managed, grief (a longer-term challenge) can become one of the focuses
- Fragility Of Recovery Process: Understand the necessity of staying on the path to recovery & avoid the desire to get it over quickly
Phase Four
- Reconciling The Mind: Learn how the mind actually functions and how to regain control, overcome biases
- Understand The Crime: Reconcile the crime with the victim’s actions. Address legal issues, and accept no fault
- Establish Boundaries: Create proper protective boundaries & fully develop a support circle
Phase Five
- Commit To Recovery: Initial impact is reduced and recovery progress is under way. Commit to long-term recovery
- Pay It Forward: Help support others through their own recovery process
- Understand Recidivism: Understand that victims can still be scammed, and it is more likely than before
Phase Six
- Relationship Damage: Work on repairing the damage done to family & friend relationships
- Relationship Ending: Recognize the damage that has been done and move forward with divorce or relationship ending
Phase Seven
- Financial Stability Damage: Full focus on resolving financial & employment issues – long-term financial survival
- Financial Conflicts: Address financial conflicts, such as lawsuits and bankruptcy
This Model
This SCARS Model offers an alternative view of the scam victims’ challenges that have to be overcome during the recovery process.
It assumes that the victims are willing to follow the recovery path and follow guidance.
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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 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.
More Recovery Related Information:
- Scam Victims In The RAIN – A Mindfulness Approach For Recovery – 2024 (scamsnow.com)
- Scam Victims Guide To Do-It-Yourself Exposure Therapy – 2024 (scamsnow.com)
- Scam Victims Guide To Do-It-Yourself EFT Tapping – 2024 (scamsnow.com)
- Helping Scam Victims Understand Cognitive Dissonance – 2024 (scamsnow.com)
- Coping with Scam Victim Trauma: Exploring Positive and Negative Coping Mechanisms – 2024 (scamsnow.com)
- Scam Victims Editing Their Stories To Promote Recovery From Scams 2024 (scamsnow.com)
- Scam Victims Will Never Be The Same – A Harsh Truth – 2024 (scamsnow.com)
- PTSD And Complex PTSD – The Difference Between Them – 2023 (scamsnow.com)
- PTSD and Complex Grief/Complicated Grief – What Are The Differences? 2023 (scamsnow.com)
- Understanding Grief & Complex Grief for Scam Victims 2024 (scamsnow.com)
- Scam Victim Stress – The Psychological, Cerebral, and Physiological Effects – 2024 (scamsnow.com)
- Psychological Triggers/Emotional Triggers – What They Are And How They Work – 2023/2024 (scamsnow.com)
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
- Worldwide Crisis Hotlines: International Suicide Hotlines – OpenCounseling : OpenCounseling
- Campaign To End Scam Victim Blaming – 2024 (scamsnow.com)
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I enjoy reading the articles, they are full of great information.
I really like the pyramid:
1. Trauma
2. Shame, Guilt, Blame
3. Blielfs, Grief
4. Learning and Understanding the Mind⁹
5. Committing and Repairing Relationships
6. Financial Recoveryl9
Recovery for me is tricky sometimes. I take two steps forward, and then out of nowhere a challenge shows up and I take one step back. I get tired, but I learn to rest and not quit. Being patient with myself is giving myself the respect I deserve to continue forward.
Recovery will be ongoing, as the scam will always be a part of my past. I’m working on making sure it doesn’t ruin my future.
What are the four basic truths mentioned in phase 1?
Excellent scheduled order to recover from the trauma.