The Fool – A Different Look at Scam Victims Using an Ancient Concept of Tarot

Were You A Fool? Are You a Fool Now? Maybe You Should Be!

Primary Category: Scam Victim Recovery Philosophy

Authors:
•  Tim McGuinness, Ph.D., DFin, MCPO, MAnth – Anthropologist, Scientist, Polymath, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.

About This Article

Being scammed does not make you a fool in the way society often assumes. In fact, in the symbolism of Tarot, the Fool represents the most powerful starting point—a clean slate, limitless potential, and the courage to begin again. Numbered 0 in the Major Arcana, the Fool embodies openness, trust, and adaptability, carrying no burdens from the past and unbound by rigid expectations. After betrayal, you may carry anger and grief, but these are not your identity. Like the Fool, you can choose to move forward without being tethered to regret.

Recovery is not just about repairing what was lost but about transformation and freedom. Trusting again, especially in yourself, becomes a vital part of this journey. Trust is not weakness; it is the foundation of meaningful life and relationships. Choosing well means moving forward mindfully—healing instead of ruminating, rebuilding rather than retreating, and trusting with wisdom. The Fool’s journey is yours to take, not defined by the past but by the choice to step forward with faith, knowing that even after stumbling, you are not lost.

Note: This article is intended for informational purposes and does not replace professional medical advice. If you are experiencing distress, please consult a qualified mental health professional.

Were You A Fool? Are You a Fool Now? Maybe You Should Be!

Did you once wonder if being scammed made you a fool? It is a harsh label, but it is worth asking if it even fits.

It’s a harsh label because in today’s world, we mostly do not understand it and only think of it in a derogatory way.

Yet, you may be surprised to learn that in the world of Tarot, the Fool is not a figure of shame. Instead, the Fool holds a place of extraordinary power and significance. In Tarot, the Fool is a card of new beginnings, carrying the meaning of a clean slate, boundless potential, and fearless exploration.

Numbered 0 in the Major Arcana, the Fool stands apart from the other cards. Zero is not an absence. It is the beginning of all possibilities. It is the number that represents both the start and the infinite spectrum of the soul’s journey. In this way, the Fool is not powerless or naive. It embodies everything that has not yet been limited, everything that can still be chosen.

The Fool’s Symbolism and Attributes

The Fool is depicted as a traveler, carefree and open, carrying a small knapsack, perhaps a symbol of emotional baggage, stepping toward the edge of a cliff. Often, there is a small dog at the Fool’s heels, a companion representing loyalty, instinct, or perhaps a final warning bark before danger. The Fool moves forward regardless. This imagery captures more than just innocence. It speaks to spontaneity, adaptability, and a profound trust that there is a journey worth taking, that even in the absence of certainty, there is a way forward.

The Fool is a clean slate because it has let go of false beliefs and outdated ideas. It carries no burden of the past, no rigid blueprint for the future. The Fool embodies pure potential. It can adapt to any situation, unburdened by failure, regret, or the stubborn clinging to old plans that no longer fit. In Tarot readings, the Fool signifies new beginnings, leaps of faith, and the courage to embrace the unknown.

Zero is not just the absence of a number. It is the presence of everything not yet formed. The Fool stands outside the sequence of the other Major Arcana cards, transcending roles and outcomes. It is the archetype of the survivor, not because it controls everything, but because it is free to become anything.

You are not defined by the scam you endured. Falling for deception was not foolishness; it was the result of cunning manipulation, targeted and precise. No one willingly chooses betrayal. Trust was extended, not blindly, but because it is human nature to seek connection, companionship, and meaning. What happened to you was not a failure of intelligence or character. It was a hijacking of your trust and instincts.

The Fool’s True Power

The Fool’s power lies not in domination or control but in freedom. Unlike other Tarot cards tied to specific meanings, the Emperor with authority, the Tower with upheaval, the Fool has no fixed role. Its strength is in its ability to begin again, to move forward unburdened by what came before. It is the wild card, unpredictable and free.

This freedom is the raw energy of creation, the spark before manifestation. Where others are bound by structure and expectation, the Fool moves lightly. It initiates journeys without being shackled by fear or regret.

After the scam, you may carry anger, grief, or humiliation. These emotions are real, but they are not your identity. You do not have to remain trapped in those feelings. You have the option, just like the Fool, to step forward without dragging your past behind you.

Can you be unburdened by past failures or rigid plans? Can you accept that your slate is clean, even if scarred? The Fool invites you to consider it.

A New Journey

Recovery after betrayal is not just about repairing what was lost. It is about transformation. It is about claiming the freedom that comes when old illusions are stripped away. When the past is gone, when plans are shattered, what remains is choice.

You can choose. You can decide not to be defined by what happened to you but by what you do next. You are not bound to the old paths you once thought you had to follow. You can create new ones.

The Fool steps forward not because it knows the outcome but because it understands that movement itself is life. Stagnation is the real defeat. Fear and regret are the real traps. The Fool moves lightly, carrying only what is necessary. No heavy baggage. No anchor of bitterness or anger.

Maybe after your scam, it is not so bad to “play the Fool.” Not in the sense of being foolish, but in the sense of being free, free to choose your future without being tethered to past mistakes.

Choosing Well

The Fool does not suggest reckless abandon. It suggests mindful freedom. It teaches you to move forward with openness but not naivety. You can choose carefully, even as you stay willing to take the risk of living.

Every step you take toward rebuilding your life can be a step in the spirit of the Fool: open, unburdened, and ready for what comes next. You do not have to know everything. You do not have to have it all figured out. You can learn as you go.

You only have to choose. And choose well.

What does it mean to choose well after betrayal? It means choosing to heal rather than ruminate. Choosing to rebuild rather than retreat. Choosing to trust again, slowly and carefully, rather than sealing yourself off from the world.

It does not mean pretending nothing happened. The Fool does not forget the cliff’s edge. It steps forward anyway, trusting that even if it falls, it will learn to fly.

Trusting Yourself Again

The deepest wound after betrayal is often to your trust, not just in others but in yourself. You may doubt your judgment, your ability to protect yourself, and your instincts. You may feel that trust itself is a weakness.

But trust is not the enemy. The scammer is. Trust is what makes life rich and relationships meaningful. Without it, you live in isolation and fear.

The Fool reminds you that trust begins again. Not blindly, not recklessly, but bravely. Trusting yourself to make wiser choices. Trusting yourself to recognize real from false. Trusting yourself to move forward even without guarantees.

Every wise person you admire has been betrayed or deceived at some point. What sets them apart is not that they avoided pain but that they learned to trust themselves again after it.

The Fool Reversed

While the Fool symbolizes spontaneity and the courage to embrace the unknown, when reversed, it serves as a caution. It warns against acting impulsively or without considering the possible consequences of your actions. The reversed Fool asks you to stay alert and mindful, reminding you not to overlook important details or dismiss warning signs that could appear along the way.

When the Fool appears reversed in a Tarot reading, it often points to a lack of direction or clarity. It urges you to pause, step back, and reassess your goals and priorities. This moment calls for reflection. Are your actions aligned with what you truly desire? Are you moving forward blindly without a clear understanding of where you are headed or why?

The reversed Fool suggests that now is the time to reconnect with your inner sense of purpose. It invites you to realign your choices with what matters most to you. Rather than rushing ahead, take this opportunity to slow down, review your direction, and ensure that your next steps resonate deeply with your authentic self. By doing so, you protect yourself from unnecessary mistakes and open the door to a journey that is both intentional and fulfilling.

Do not be the Fool Reversed!

The Fool’s Journey Is Yours

In Tarot, the Fool’s journey is the journey of every soul. It is the story of stepping into the unknown, facing challenges, making mistakes, and growing wiser.

Your scam did not end your story. It interrupted it. Now, you have the opportunity to begin a new chapter, wiser, perhaps more cautious, but also more free.

The Fool moves forward not because it has certainty but because it has faith, faith that the journey itself matters. Faith that even if you stumble, you are not lost.

Can you choose to move forward? Can you allow yourself to be the Fool in the truest sense, not foolish but free, not naive but open?

You can.

You must.

Just make sure you choose well.

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