https://againstscams.org

 

The Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams (SCARS) claims to represent more than 25,000 people, dedicated to changing the world of online fraud for the sake of everyone.  They have been conducting large campaigns since 2017.

SCARS say they are committed to doing everything possible to eradicate the plague of online scams.

The campaigns aim to enlist the public’s help in providing direct information in the local community. They are asking SCARS Members to begin organizing opportunities in their towns and communities to inform and expand awareness about romance scams and other forms of fraud.

SCARS asks those that are interested, once they are approved for participation in the Campaign, to contact local community organizations, from schools to civic groups, private clubs, and even work with your local police, to better educate your fellow residents about these severe crimes and how they affect us all.

SCARS will provide you with a complete training kit that will help you learn more, and that you will use in conducting these presentations. The materials are designed to provide a 30 to 45 minute presentation, and allow for additional time for questions and answers. This will make it easy to cover the right information, regardless of your knowledge or experience. This helps you make a huge difference in the safety of your local community.

The SCARS™ Act Against Scams™ Campaign Kit consists of:

• Introduction Brochure – for attendees
• Introduction graphics to promote your presentation (can be used on social media)
• Introduction Video – to allow you to promote your presentation (cane be used on social media)
• Official PowerPoint Presentation
• Presenters’ Guide
• How To Report Online Crime Guide
• An Official SCARS Presenter ID Card

All of the above are provided for you without cost, for download by the Campaign participant, and can be emailed to the entity or organization that will host your presentation. If you are producing significant results, SCARS may provide additional materials, including signs, etc.

They will also provide support to promote your events, and a webpage where interested persons can sign up for your presentations. This will also provide a means for you to follow up with the attendees for your presentations, enabling future local victims’ support.

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Elsie (in Chicago) fell victim to a romance  scam – this is where the scammers get to know their victim online then gradually change the relationship to one of taking, until the victim comes to realise what’s happening and ends the relationship.

But, is it that easy to recognise that you’re being scammed?

Elsie lost her husband and didn’t find it easy to move on with her life.

But several years later she wanted to try so she joined Facebook to engage more with people.

She was approached online by Donald who was working on a project in Toronto. He needed to send some work meters in advance of his arrival in Chicago in coming weeks and asked if she would mind accepting a parcel delivery.

She agreed as long as long as it wouldn’t cost her anything.

She received a call telling her that the parcel had been delivery to the depot and she needed to pay $65 to have it released for delivery to her home.

Elsie didn’t like that and refused but after a long story about how common underpayments are, she relented and paid up.

Laster that day another call from the depot to tell her the package contained a lot of cash and did she know anything about this.

She didn’t but now had to pay a further $250 for the package to be released and it could only go to her as it was addressed to her.

She then called Donald and the story gets more complicated but you can see how the scammers are gradually putting more pressure on Elsie and trying to get more and more money by different pretexts.

Donald was supposedly then too sick to travel to Chicago but the package was essential, so he begged her to accept it.

Elsie ended up paying more under the threat of being involved in money laundering if she didn’t and the demands for money kept becoming larger and more insistent.

Elsie ended up stressed and seriously out of pocket before she stopped taking the calls.

Beware, because these romance scammers are very professional in how they operate and they know how to be convincing and even at times threatening.

If you have any experiences with these scams do let me know, by email.

A post by K.B. Beaumaarks

I am an educated professional with an upper level income. My scams occurred not with an outsider but a partner…. yep first with my ex-husband who was a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine then to a boyfriend who was a Police Officer. Two professions that were “trustworthy professions” I was blinded by the scammers that they were. My point is to trust your gut no matter who the person is. If it feels wrong…. chances are it is wrong.

When I met my second husband, he was a charming police officer who stated he had made lots of money working for an additional company outside his police job.

He lived in a beautiful expensive home. He was a veteran of the police force for over 23 years and appeared to be well respected. I had made quite a bit of money after my divorce in real estate investments and lived in a nice home. I began to develop a relationship with him and felt very comfortable with him. He was a respected police officer. A law enforcing professional of 23 years.

He had asked to borrow money because he had gotten into a cash flow problem but had a real estate deal worth a million dollars. He presented me with a contract, I showed it to a real estate agent friend of mine and she said it was a legitimate contract. I felt comfortable knowing he paid $200,000.00 for the property and was reselling it to a Physician in the area who was very well known and very financially set.

He had a contract on the land for over a million dollars. He said to write him a check for the paper trail and write in the memo that it was a personal loan to him so I had evidence that it was a loan not a gift. Long story short, the contract fell apart but eventually sold for less but still doubled his money.

The police officer boyfriend basically said he was never going to pay me back and good luck trying to collect because he knew every judge in the county etc.

I sued him and he filed for bankruptcy after blowing every dollar he had made on the land deal. I trusted both my doctor husband and boyfriend police officer. Just because someone appears to be financially set or has a certain title, please research and follow your gut instincts or it could be financially fatal.

Con artists and scammers come in all professions and backgrounds. Do not be naïve and trust your gut!

See https://fightback.ninja/kb-married-to-a-scammer/   ?????????   for KBs post about her first husband.

I have written a book called The Preah Secrets and it deals with my veterinary husband and how I discovered his heist and how I followed my gut to eventually discover his intentions of deceit. I prepared and eventually sought justice for myself. I hope the book inspires others to follow their instincts and remember, scams can happen to anyone by anyone.

The book is available at Amazon and other places.

Do leave a comment on this post – click on the post title then scroll down to leave your comment.

The radio station received three fake dating requests in one day.

From Dinara, Tatyana and Ksenia.

Content such as

“Hi. How have you been? What is your name? Where are you from?

My name is Ksenia. I like to chat with you. What do you think of that?  

That one was a short message and had an email address supposedly for Ksenia so the email recipient could reply and start up an online relationship no doubt leading to a scam.

The other two messages were basically adverts for a Russian dating service which again leads to a scam.

e.g. Hello sweetie.

How does it feel to be a loved one. I wish to feel it someday.

I am Tatyana, an educated middle class girl from Bryansk, Russia.

I am a doctor and earn a decent living. I am hard working and honest to my profession. Which implies I don’t have much free time. So I want to tell you straightaway that I am in search of my life partner.

The email leads up to a link to a Russian dating site megadatek.ru

This is a long winded way of getting someone to access a dating website.

Is the dating website real?

Is there actually a girl named Tatyana ?

We don’t know, but if you want to join a dating site then pick one in your home country with an excellent reputation as there are too many scam dating sites out there.

If you have any experiences with scammers, spammers or time-waster do let me know, by email.