Online Dating Safety Act

New Law Going Through The U.S. Congress

Authors:
• SCARS Editorial Team – Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.
• Portions FOX News

Bipartisan Online Dating Safety Act Will Help Reduce Dating App Scams That Cost Victims Over $1 Billion A Year

The bill is being led by Republican Rep. Valadao and Democratic Rep. Pettersen

House lawmakers are eyeing legislation to make dating app users more aware of potential scammers who tricked victims out of more than $1 billion in a single year.

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Mental Compartmentalization And Recovery For Scam Victims

Authors:
• Vianey Gonzalez – Psychologist, 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.

Mental Compartmentalization Hinders Recovery For Emotional Or Psychological Trauma

Mental compartmentalization is something we all do, however, when it is done by scam victims to avoid painful emotions or to acknowledge trauma, it prevents healing and it can have significant negative effects. It can freeze recovery and prevent the processing of emotions so necessary for healing.

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Criminality – What Is Its Essence?

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

Understanding the Essence of Criminality is Very Difficult For Victims!

The essence of criminality involves engaging in actions or behaviors that are prohibited by law and deemed harmful to individuals, communities, or society as a whole.

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Europol Takes A Major Step Forward

By Europol

Criminal Misuse Of Cryptocurrencies – Shaping An International Response

A Europol co-organized hybrid international conference on the Criminal Misuse Of Cryptocurrencies attended by 1,300 participants has concluded that tackling the criminal use of cryptocurrencies is a race against time. Law enforcement agencies that collaborate in joint task teams and proactively collaborate with the private sector are getting ahead of the criminals. In contrast, countries that do not take the risks seriously are in danger of becoming a haven for crypto-enabled scams, money laundering, and terrorist financing.

Co-organized by Europol and the Basel Institute on Governance, the 7th Global Conference on Criminal Finances and Cryptocurrencies was hosted at Europol’s headquarters.

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Repeat Nigerian Scammer Adedayo Ilori Gets 25 Years In U.S. Prison

By SCARS Editorial Team – Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc., Portions U.S. Department of Justice

Repeat Nigerian Scammer Goes To Prison

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that ADEDAYO Adedayo Ilori was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil to 25 years in prison for his participation in a sophisticated identity theft and COVID-19 loan fraud scheme.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Even while on bail for federal fraud offenses, Adedayo Ilori could not help but continue his repeated fraud and identity theft crimes. He saw the hardships and disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic and the federal government’s efforts to address those in need as an opportunity for fraud. He lined his own pockets and recklessly used the identities of dozens of victims. Today’s sentence sends a message to Ilori and others engaged in similar crimes that such conduct, especially when it is repeated, will be severely punished.”

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Scammers Are The New Boogeymen!

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

Scammers, Fraudsters, And Con Artists Have Gained A Formidable Reputation As The New-Age Boogeymen, Lurking In The Digital Shadows, Waiting To Pounce On Unsuspecting Victims.

While there’s no denying the existence of scams and their devastating consequences, it’s essential to differentiate between the real threat and irrational fear.

Let’s explore the rise of scammers as the new boogeymen and the implications of this growing fear on society’s ability to effectively combat scams, focusing on online relationship scams, pig butchering investment scams, phone scams, and more.

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Ragnar Locker Ransomware Gang Taken Down

By SCARS Editorial Team – Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc., portions by EUROPOL

Ragnar Locker Ransomware Gang Taken Down By Major International Police Operation Against Cybercriminals

Law enforcement and judicial authorities from eleven countries delivered a major blow to one of the most dangerous ransomware operations of recent years.

What is Ragnar Locker Ransomware

Ragnar Locker Ransomware is a type of malware that encrypts a victim’s files and demands a ransom payment in order to decrypt them. The ransomware is typically spread through phishing emails or malicious websites. Once a victim’s computer is infected, Ragnar Locker will encrypt all of their files, making them inaccessible. The ransomware will then display a ransom note demanding payment in Bitcoin or another cryptocurrency.

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Filling The Victim Void After The Fake Relationship Is Gone

Authors:
• Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.
• Vianey Gonzalez – Psychologist, Certified Deception Professional, Psychology Advisory Panel & Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.

How To Fill The Victim Void In Your Life After A Romance Scam Ends

When a romance scam ends, it can leave a huge void in the victim’s life. The victim may have spent a lot of time and invested a lot of emotion into the relationship, and they may feel betrayed and heartbroken. It is important to remember that you are not alone, and there are things you can do to heal and move on.

Romance scams, with their web of deceit and emotional manipulation, leave a profound impact on their victims. Beyond the financial losses, victims often face the daunting task of filling the emotional void created by the abrupt ending of what they believed was a genuine, loving relationship. The challenges faced by romance scam victims and offer insights into how they can begin to heal, rebuild their lives, and find authentic connections.

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Secrets Can Be Deadly For Scam Victims – Scam Victim Recovery Psychology

Authors:
• Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.
• Vianey Gonzalez – Psychologist, Certified Deception Professional, Psychology Advisory Panel & Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.

Unmasking the Burden of Secrecy: How Keeping Secrets Deepens the Trauma for Scam Victims

The experience of falling victim to a scam can be profoundly traumatic. Scam victims often grapple with a wide range of emotions, from anger and humiliation to betrayal and loss. Amidst this turmoil, many victims also carry an additional, heavy burden—the burden of keeping their victimhood a secret. This article explores the damaging impact that keeping secrets can have on people, especially those struggling to recover from the trauma of a scam.

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Scam Slavery Comes To Peru – 43 Malaysians Freed From Scam Center

By SCARS Editorial Team – Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc., Portions by Associated Press

Peru Has Become A Hub For Scam Slavery In Recent Years, With Criminals Using Increasingly Sophisticated Methods To Lure Victims Into Their Traps

44 Asian migrants (43 Malaysians) were held captive as scam slaves by the Taiwanese criminal organization Red Dragon, who were used to extort money from victims abroad via telephone calls from Lima,

This type of scammers in Peru and Southeast Asia often target vulnerable people, such as those who are unemployed or have financial difficulties in Asia and Latin America.

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Hamas & Cybercrime – An Overview

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

The Terrorist Organization Hamas Is Massively Involved In Cybercrime & Scams – To Fund Their Activities And To Disrupt Their Enemies!

Hamas is a Palestinian Sunni-Islamist militant and political organization that has a social service wing, Dawah that is massively involved in cybercrime. It has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, Canada, Japan, and Israel.

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Cybersecurity and Cybersafety for Charitable Organizations

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

The Importance of Cybersecurity and Cybersafety for Charitable Organizations

Charitable organizations are increasingly at risk of cyberattacks. These attacks can have a devastating impact on charities, both financially and reputationally. In some cases, cyberattacks can even force charities to close their doors.

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Social Media – Where Scams Are Born!

By U.S. Federal Trade Commission

Social Media: A Golden Goose For Scammers

Scammers are hiding in plain sight on social media platforms and reports to the FTC’s Consumer Sentinel Network point to huge profits. One in four people who reported losing money to fraud since 2021 said it started on social media.[1] Reported losses to scams on social media during the same period hit a staggering $2.7 billion, far higher than any other method of contact. And because the vast majority of frauds are not reported, this figure reflects just a small fraction of the public harm.[2]

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Do Scam Victims Become Cynics After Their Scam Experience?

Authors:
• Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.
• Vianey Gonzalez – Psychologist, Certified Deception Professional, Psychology Advisory Panel & Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.

Experiencing A Major Scam Firsthand Changes Scam Victim’s World Views Profoundly!

What is Cynicism?

Cynicism is a general distrust of human sincerity and motives. It is the belief that people are generally motivated by self-interest and that there is no such thing as altruism. Cynics may believe that people are only kind or helpful because they expect something in return.

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Conformity & Romance Scams And How It Affects Scam Victims

By:
• Vianey Gonzalez – Psychologist, 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.

One Of The Types Of Manipulation You Experienced Was Of Your Own Making! But Was Still Not Your Fault!

Conformity is the act of changing your behaviors in order to fit in or go along with the people around you. Conformity is a survival response.

In some cases, this social influence might involve agreeing with or acting like the majority of people in a specific group, or it might involve behaving in a particular way in order to be perceived as “normal” by the group.

Essentially, conformity involves giving in to group pressure.

But conformity can also be with another individual – such as a romance scammer!

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China Cracks Down On Scammers Part 3 – Chinese & Myanmar Police Arrests 1207 Scammers In Myanmar

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

China Public Security Strengthen Cooperation In Police Law Enforcement Along The Southwest Border With Myanmar (Burma) – This Time Capture 1207 Suspects

Police in China and Myanmar detain an additional 1207 in a cyber scam crackdown in a joint operation that brings down 11 criminal call center bases in northern Myanmar in one of the biggest stings of cybercrime gangs in this Southeast Asian country. It is the latest in Beijing’s efforts to root out fraudsters who frequently target Chinese nationals

According to The Jamestown Foundation

On September 6, the United Wa State Party, the political arm of one of the most powerful ethnic resistance armies in Myanmar, handed over to China 1,207 Chinese online scammers for extradition back to China (Eleven Media Group, September 9; Global Times, September 9).

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China Cracks Down On Scammers Part 2 – Chinese & Myanmar Police Arrests 269 Scammers In Myanmar

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

China Public Security Strengthen Cooperation In Police Law Enforcement Along The Southwest Border With Myanmar (Burma)

Police in China and Myanmar detain 269 in cyber scam crackdown in a joint operation that brings down 11 criminal call center bases in northern Myanmar in one of the biggest stings of cybercrime gangs in this Southeast Asian country. It is the latest in Beijing’s efforts to root out fraudsters who frequently target Chinese nationals

According to the China Ministry of Public Security – Translated from Chinese

China severely cracked down on telecommunications network fraud crimes involving China in northern Myanmar in accordance with the law, and major results have been achieved. They successfully destroyed 11 telecommunications network fraud centers and arrested 269 criminal suspects.

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A Beginner’s Guide to the Dark Web for Investigators

By Oxana Korzun, CFE, Fraud Expert / Investigations and Risk Management – San Francisco, California

A Short Instruction On How To Find Information On The Dark Web For OSINT Purposes

Many times, an investigation would lead me to the Dark Web. Sometimes it’s to dive into forums and gather intelligence, and other times it would be to check illegal goods markets selling counterfeit products of my clients.

Every time I mention that I use the Dark Web, people imagine a really scary place with criminals selling their goods right and left and that people can suffer dire consequences even for trying to open websites there.

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Federal Trade Commission Partners with Latin American Countries to Combat Fraud

By SCARS Editorial Team – Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc., and the Federal Trade Commission

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission Enters Into A Multilateral Agreement Enhances Consumer Protection Cooperation With Chile, Colombia, Mexico, And Peru

The Federal Trade Commission signed a cooperation agreement with the consumer protection authorities of the four Latin American countries —Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru – to combat fraud both inside and outside the United States.

The Multilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MMOU) promotes cooperation across Latin America, including information-sharing to further investigations and policy development, as well as other types of assistance on cross-border enforcement matters.

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Shifting Baseline Syndrome (SBS) And Scam Awareness

Authors:
• Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.
• Vianey Gonzalez – Psychologist, Certified Deception Professional, Psychology Advisory Panel & Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.

A Question Often Asked Is Why Doesn’t Scam Awareness Training And Information Reduce Victimization? The Answer May Just Be Shifting Baseline Syndrome!

Humans tend to prioritize risks based on immediate threats, and one of the ways we identify immediate threats is by rapid changes in our environment, such as new lions and tigers and bears (oh my!) in our vicinity for example. But Shifting Baseline Syndrome biases our view to diminish that awareness of the risk changes.

What is Shifting Baseline Syndrome?

Shifting baseline syndrome (SBS) is a gradual change in the accepted norms for the condition of the natural environment due to a lack of experience, memory, and/or knowledge of its past condition. In other words, as each generation grows up, they accept the current state of the environment as normal, even if it is actually degraded or improved from its previous state.

Of course, our natural environment can be the physical world or our digital one. It can be inside a workplace, our home, our community, our nation, or on the Internet. It can be any environment within which we live, work, or exist!

SBS can be seen in a variety of environmental contexts, such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. For example, people who live in coastal areas today may not be aware that sea levels have risen significantly since the pre-industrial era. As a result, they may not be prepared for the risks posed by climate change, such as flooding and erosion. But it can also refer to changes in our digital environment too, such as cybercriminality – the increase in online preadors.

Another example of SBS is the decline of wildlife populations. Many people today are not aware of how many species have gone extinct or experienced significant population declines in recent decades. As a result, they may not be concerned about the conservation of these species. The same is true for increases in criminality in all of their newer forms because of assumptions (biases) about past criminality.

SBS can have a number of negative consequences. For example, it can lead to a decrease in public support for protection policies. It can also make it difficult to track and measure environmental degradation or improvement over time. The same is true when looking at funding for law and order, or even the need to vote for law and order candidates. The recent (in the last couple of years) of the ‘Defund the Police’ movement is a perfect example of this.

Is Shifting Baseline Syndrome a Cognitive Bias?

Shifting baseline syndrome (SBS) is considered a cognitive bias. Cognitive biases are mental shortcuts that we use to make sense of the world around us. They can be helpful in some situations, but they can also lead to errors in Read More …

EUROPOL Report: Money-Laundering Criminals Are Adapting To New Technology Faster Than Authorities Can Keep Up

By SCARS Editorial Team Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc., portions Europol

Money-Laundering Criminals Are Using New Technology Faster Than Authorities Can Keep Up

Criminals Are Washing Their Money Faster Than Authorities Can Track Them Down, According To A New Europol Report

The report found that 70% of criminal enterprises in Europe are using money laundering techniques to hide their wealth and assets. These criminals are mixing illicit finances with seemingly legal businesses and exploiting new technology to grow their operations and launder money faster than authorities can keep up.

In an increasingly interconnected world driven by trade and technology, criminals are leveraging modern advancements to maximize their profits.

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Romance Scam/Fraud Can Be Local Not Just Online

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

Romance Scams Are Not Always About Money!

The very first known West African romance scam involved government intelligence instead of money!

In 1985, CIA stenographer Sharon Scranage was convicted of espionage and sentenced to five years in prison for providing sensitive CIA information to Michael Soussoudis, her Ghanaian lover and a member of the Ghanaian intelligence service.

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Relationship Scams And Their Impact On Memory

By:
• Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.
• Vianey Gonzalez – Psychologist, Certified Deception Professional, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.

Memory And Your Recollections Of A Relationship Scam Can Be Wrong!

The very first thing to know about memory after you have been in a relationship scam is that trauma has a profound impact on your mind.

You are not what you think you are. You are a system of physical functions that take place inside the brain and elsewhere in your body. Your memories, feelings, thinking, abilities, biases, and beliefs are all electrochemical reactions happening in your brain, nervous and limbic systems.

Why is this important to know?

Because what you remember, believe, and feel is controlled by these systems. Your very identity is not anything close to as solid as you imagine it is. The criminals that scammed you do not fully understand this, but they know how to exploit it,

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FTC Takes Action Against Unsolicited Communications

By:
SCARS Editorial Team Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.; and the
United States Federal Trade Commission

FTC Joins FCC in Renewing Memorandum of Understanding to Promote Cross-Border Law Enforcement Efforts to Combat Spam, Scams, and Illegal Telemarketing

Agencies are partnering with the Unsolicited Communications Enforcement Network

The Federal Trade Commission has joined the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in signing a renewed memorandum of understanding (MOU) between public authorities who are members of the Unsolicited Communications Enforcement Network (UCENet). The MOU aims to promote cross-border collaboration to combat unsolicited communications, including email and text spam, scams, and illegal telemarketing.

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Contractualism

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

Civilization Only Exists Because Of The Commitments That Bind Us All Together – This Is The Foundation Of Contractualism!

Who cares about Contractualism philosophy after you have been scammed? Does it help you recover or get your money back?

Actually, it does, it is the foundation of how we live and work together! That is what Contractualism is all about and why understanding it is so very important!

Most of you reading this have never studied moral philosophy, yet moral philosophy is the foundation of everything we do as a society. As the victims of crime, understanding that there are those who violate these moral philosophies makes it even more important for you to understand it as we all work together to hold it all together!

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University of Phoenix Scam

By United States Federal Trade Commission & SCARS Editorial Team

University of Phoenix – FTC Action Leads U.S. Dept. of Education to Forgive Nearly $37 Million in Loans for Students Deceived by University of Phoenix

FTC charged that the for-profit University of Phoenix falsely touted relationships and job opportunities with top companies

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China Cracks Down On Scammers – Chinese & Indonesia Police Arrests 88 Sextortion Scammers In Indonesia

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

The Chinese Police And The Indonesian Police Carry Out International Law Enforcement Cooperation Successfully Arresting 88 Fraud Suspects Engaged In Cross-Border Sextortion Scams

To effectively enforce the directives laid out in the Chinese national conference addressing emerging illegal activities within telecommunications networks, specifically focusing on the severe crackdown of cross-border fraud crimes in accordance with both Chinese and international law, the Chinese and Indonesian police have actively engaged in cooperative law enforcement efforts.

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Mule Addresses

By David Maimon, Professor of Criminal Justice and Criminology, Georgia State University and Saba Aslanzadeh, PhD Student in in Computer Science, Georgia State University

What Are ‘Mule Addresses’? Criminologists Explain How Vacant Properties Serve As Depots For Illegal Online Purchases

Online shopping isn’t just a convenient way to buy batteries, diapers, computers, and other stuff without going to a brick-and-mortar store.

Many Americans also use the internet to quietly acquire illegal, fake, and stolen items. Guns, prescription drugs no doctor has ordered and checks are on this long list, as well as cloned credit cards, counterfeit passports, and phony driver’s licenses.

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The Self-Pity Trap & How To Overcome It

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

Self-Pity And Being The Victim Of A Scam Or Fraud – It Can Be A Very Distressing Experience

It can be difficult to come to terms with the fact that someone has taken advantage of you, and it is normal to feel a range of emotions, including anger, sadness, and embarrassment. However, if you find yourself dwelling on your negative emotions and feeling sorry for yourself, it is important to find ways to overcome self-pity.

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Hope & The “Pig Pen” Syndrome – on ScamsNOW.com

A Different Take On The Happenstance Of Scams

By Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. – Originally published on RomanceScamsNOW.com September 2018 – moved and updated 2023

Was It All About Hope? For Many Scam Victims, Was Just Bad Luck That They Were Scammed?

“Shit Happens” Is The Old Saying! Sometimes it happens a lot and doesn’t stop. Is it bad luck? Did you ever think you might be making impulsive decisions? That clinging to false hope might have been one of the many root causes for what happened.

Some people believe in the Karmic Wheel, but while that may influence luck on a long-term scale, it probably is not the cause of becoming involved in a relationship scam. But hope – especially false hope, might be a real contributor.

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Teens And Young Adults: Now A Major Target Of Scammers

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

Teens And Young Adults: A Major Target Of Scammers

Teenagers and young adults are increasingly becoming a major target of scammers.

In fact, a 2022 report by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) found that people aged 18 to 29 were more likely to report falling victim to a scam than any other age group.

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Fraudsters Steal $135 Billion In Fake COVID19 Jobless & Unemployment Claims

By SCARS Editorial Team, portions Washington Post

Fraudsters Stole $135 Billion in Unemployment Benefits During the Pandemic

A fraudster’s picnic! The COVID-19 pandemic caused widespread economic disruption, leading to millions of Americans filing for unemployment benefits. Unfortunately, this also created an opportunity for fraudsters to steal billions of dollars in government aid.

According to a report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), fraudsters may have stolen as much as $135 billion in federal unemployment aid during the pandemic. This represents roughly one out of every seven dollars set aside for jobless Americans.

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The Elina Juusola Story

By Jessica Morney & Elina Juusola – translated from Finnish

Elina was the victim of love deception: “His cracked, raspy voice went directly into my nervous system”

Love scams are becoming more and more common. Last year, Finns lost EUR 9 million in connection with love scams. The author and historian of ideas Elina Juusola has written about her own experiences of being deceived by a charming “military” on a mission abroad.

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Criminal Cryptocurrency Boss Jailed For 11,196 Years In Turkey For Fraud

By SCARS Editorial Team, portions BBC

Criminal Boss of Failed Crypto Exchange Gets 11,000-Year Sentence

The Outcome

The Thodex cryptocurrency boss is Faruk Fatih Özer. He was sentenced to 11,196 years in prison by a Turkish court on charges of “establishing, managing and being a member of an organization,” “qualified fraud,” and “laundering of property values.”

Özer founded Thodex cryptocurrency exchange in 2017 and it quickly became one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges in Turkey. In April 2021, Thodex abruptly halted withdrawals and Özer fled the country, allegedly with millions of dollars in cryptocurrency belonging to users.

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Counseling And Your Native Language

By SCARS Editorial Team

Why Is It Important When Receiving Psychological Counseling Or Therapy In Your Native Language?

It is important that when receiving psychological counseling or therapy that it is in your native language. This is because language is not just a way of communicating, it is also a way of thinking and feeling. When you speak your native language, you are able to express yourself more fully and accurately. You are also able to connect with the therapist on a deeper level.

When you speak a second language, you may have to translate your thoughts and feelings, which can be difficult and time-consuming. This can also make it harder to express yourself emotionally. Additionally, the therapist may not be familiar with the cultural nuances of your language, which can lead to misunderstandings.

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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.

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96 Year Old Romance Scam Victim

By SCARS Editorial Team, portions U.S. Department of Justice

Indiana Woman Admits to Victimizing 96-Year-Old Rhode Island Widower Through an Online Romance Scam

An Indiana woman today (September 6, 2023) admitted to a federal Judge in Rhode Island that she perpetrated an online romance scam that defrauded a 96-year-old Coventry widower of nearly $80,000, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.

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Israel Police Bust Major Investment Fraud Organization

By SCARS Editorial Team, portions from Jerusalem Post and Finance Magnates

Israeli Police Bust Massive Online FX Investment Fraud, Arrest Six

Israeli police have arrested six people in connection with a massive online foreign exchange (FX) investment fraud that is estimated to have cost victims millions of dollars.

The suspects, who are all Israeli citizens, are accused of running a scam that involved setting up fake websites and social media accounts that purported to offer high-yield FX trading opportunities. They allegedly lured victims into investing their money by promising guaranteed returns but instead used the funds to enrich themselves.

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