ScamsNOW!
The SCARS Institute Magazine about Scam Victims-Survivors, Scams, Fraud & Cybercrime
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.
The loop begins with a triggering event, such as something that reminds the victim of the scam. This can lead to negative thoughts, such as “I’m stupid for falling for that,” or “I’ll never be able to trust anyone again.” These thoughts can then lead to negative emotions, such as shame, guilt, or anger. The negative emotions can then lead to behavioral changes, such as isolation, withdrawal, or financial difficulty.
These changes in thoughts, emotions, and behaviors can then reinforce the triggering event, making it more likely that the reactivity loop will start again. For example, if a victim of a romance scam avoids talking to new people, this can make them feel more isolated and alone. This can then make them more likely to have negative thoughts about themselves and the world, which can lead to further isolation.
The psychological reactivity loop can be very difficult to break. Remember, it is important to understand that it is not the victim’s fault. The loop is a result of the scam, and it is something that can be treated with professional counseling or therapy help.
There are a number of things that can be done to break the psychological reactivity loop. These include:
- Exposure therapy: This involves gradually exposing the victim to the things that trigger their anxiety. This can help them to learn to manage their anxiety and cope with the trauma. This is provided by a psychologist.
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy: This type of therapy helps the victim to identify and challenge their negative thoughts and beliefs. This can help them to change the way they think about the scam and themselves. This is provided by a psychologist.
- Group therapy: This can be helpful for victims to connect with others who have experienced similar trauma. This can help them to feel less alone and to learn coping strategies from others. This is provided by a psychologist.
- Support & Recovery Groups: This can have the same effect as Group Therapy without the psychological professional moderating.
- Medication: In some cases, medication may be needed to help manage anxiety and depression. This is provided by a psychiatrist.
If you are a traumatized scam victim, it is important to seek professional help. A therapist can help you to understand the psychological reactivity loop and develop strategies to break it.
Coping Tips For Controlling A Reactivity Loop
Here are some additional tips for coping with the psychological effects of being scammed – including reactivity loops:
- Talk to someone you trust about what happened. This could be a friend, family member, therapist, or support group.
- Allow yourself to feel your emotions. Don’t try to bottle them up. Let them flow through you but remain aware of what you are feeling and try to understand why you are feeling it.
- Be patient with yourself. It takes time to heal from a scam. Much more time than you can imagine,
- Don’t blame yourself. The scammer is the one who did wrong.
- Take care of yourself physically and emotionally. Eat healthy foods, get enough sleep and exercise.
Learn from the experience. What can you do to avoid being scammed in the future? Start learning at RomanceScamsNOW.com
Remember, you are not alone. There are many people who have been scammed, and there is help available here at SCARS and with your trauma counselor or therapist.
SCARS Resources:
- 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
- Global Cyber Alliance ACT Cybersecurity Tool Website: Actionable Cybersecurity Tools (ACT) (globalcyberalliance.org)
- Self-Help Books for Scam Victims are at shop.AgainstScams.org
- Donate to SCARS and help us help others at donate.AgainstScams.org
- Worldwide Crisis Hotlines: International Suicide Hotlines – OpenCounseling : OpenCounseling
- Campaign To End Scam Victim Blaming – 2024 (scamsnow.com)
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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 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
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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
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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
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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.
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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.
Now I have a name for what I go through and have continued to go through – not just from the crime but going back to my abusive marriage. The triggers from then didn’t happen so much anymore until the midpoint of the crime. I started having nightmares about then. It got to the point I didn’t want to go to sleep. The trigger was the abusive language and manner of the criminal. In sleep the criminal and my former husband became one and the same, or were mixed. It’s been five months since I had that sleep disturbance time. I can attest to the points in this article that a person can indeed find themselves in a reactivity loop. It can be a hard cycle to break. Having the support group through SCARS (please take advantage of it) is a blessing! Knowing that you are not alone in this journey helps end many of the negative thoughts and emotions.
Triggers may never disappear but knowing how to cope with them seems to be the key to avoid reactivity loops.
I never heard of the term reactivity loop. I am so alarmed on how can negative thoughts can damage a victim