Statement About Professional Care for Scam Victims
Understanding the Need for Specialized Professional Care for Scam Victims
Primary Category: Scam Victim 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
When forming opinions, especially on complex subjects like scam victimization and psychological trauma, it’s essential to rely on actual knowledge and experience. Understanding the neuropsychological impacts, such as how the brain’s response to scams mimics addiction, provides valuable insights into why victims struggle emotionally.
Generalized knowledge or misconceptions can mislead both victims and professionals, hindering recovery. By seeking specialized knowledge, particularly from trauma-informed professionals, victims can receive more effective support and achieve better outcomes in their healing process. Accurate, informed perspectives are key to proper recovery.
Understanding the Need for Specialized Professional Care for Scam Victims
In today’s world, forming opinions based on solid knowledge and expertise is critical, especially when it comes to specialized fields like neuroscience, psychology, or any other scientific discipline. When it comes to scams and their effects on victims, understanding the mechanisms at play requires insights from neuropsychology, trauma studies, and behavioral science. Often, well-meaning individuals may base their views on limited information or misunderstandings, which can perpetuate false narratives and hinder recovery.
One example is the concept that victims of scams, particularly romance or financial scams, may behave similarly to individuals with addictions. While traditional addictions often involve external substances like drugs or alcohol, the brain’s response in scam victims is driven by the body’s own chemicals—such as dopamine, oxytocin, and cortisol. Criminals manipulate these biological responses, triggering a dependency that is both emotional and chemical. This dependency is not voluntarily created by the victim, but rather coerced through deception, much like being drugged without consent. Understanding this neurochemical aspect of scam victimization is key to realizing why many victims struggle to break away from the scam emotionally, even after they are aware of the deceit.
Opinions formed without comprehensive knowledge of these neurological effects can be harmful. For instance, therapists or counselors not trained in neuropsychology or trauma therapy may not fully grasp the complexities of the victim’s experience. This is similar to seeking the help of a general doctor for a highly specialized condition like lung cancer—while well-intentioned, their guidance may not be the most effective for the specific issue at hand. In the context of psychological trauma, particularly scams, it is crucial to seek professionals who are trained and certified in relevant fields such as trauma-informed care, neuropsychology, or behavioral therapy.
Many scam victims mistakenly believe that conventional talk therapy alone will be enough to address the trauma caused by scams. While talk therapy can certainly play a role in emotional recovery, it often doesn’t address the deeper, neurobiological underpinnings of their trauma. Specialists in trauma and neuropsychology offer more tailored approaches that incorporate understanding how the brain’s chemical responses drive behavior and emotional distress in these situations.
It’s essential to challenge personal biases and assumptions, especially when dealing with issues as complex as trauma recovery. Victims need accurate, well-informed perspectives to navigate their recovery process effectively. Relying on opinions that are based on incomplete or incorrect information can lead to prolonged suffering, delays in healing, or missteps in seeking the proper help. This is why psychoeducation, provided by organizations experienced in trauma and scam victimization, plays an essential role. These groups often have far more experience dealing with scam victims than general counselors or psychologists, and they can offer insights that even some professionals may lack.
In conclusion, forming opinions on complex topics requires accurate knowledge and experience, especially when addressing the effects of scams or psychological trauma. Victims, advocates, and professionals alike must prioritize reliable sources and expert guidance to ensure that they understand and address the full spectrum of recovery. Misunderstandings and false information can hinder progress, so it’s crucial to approach these issues with open minds and informed perspectives, ensuring that victims receive the support they truly need.
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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.
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 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.
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 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)
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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Excellent article in explaining the “who, what and why” it’s important to seek a trauma therapist after a relationship scam. Thanks for the guidance.