Scary Scams Are Real, Not Imaginary

You’ll hear news reports about scams, but rarely are they called “scary scams.” They should be—because everyone should be quite afraid of what the true impact on their lives could be if they were to get scammed. Scams are scary. But people don’t think it in that way for a handful of reasons: 1) they have yet to be scammed, 2) they think it will never happen to them or 3) they were scammed and it was upsetting, but they got over it…and never talked about it. Maybe referring to this brand of crime as “ scary scams” would actually help make people fear falling into a trap. Maybe the new tag would also help raise their awareness of the hundreds of real schemes that are out there. The truth is, when someone is worried about danger or trouble , they often take steps to prevent it or are more vigilant of in their daily lives—and that would be a good think when it comes to scams. For example: That’s why we’re suggesting that placing the word scary before the word scam isn’t a ridiculous idea: It’s purposeful. After all, a measure of worry about scams could go a long way to getting people to take positive steps, such as these: Take a step back and imagine these scenarios, which sadly occur every day. Here’s the thing to remember: A scam target will not know that the scenario they’re facing is fake—it will seem very real, which is why the target becomes a scam victim. You must admit, most everyone would be concerned with any of those situations. So, yes: when it comes to scams, there’s plenty to be scared about. Little kids are afraid of the dark, strange noises and imaginary monsters under their beds. As we grow older, we grow out of our childish fears. We may even start to believe there’s nothing to be afraid of when things are going well. Then you start to hear about people being scammed, and losing something valuable, and not just money. Here’s what psychologists and other professionals have to say about the effects of one of the scariest of scams, an investment scam: The potential aftermath of an investment scam is terrifying to think about. Still, it’s important to consider the scenario, if only to realize how vital it is to avoid any situation that even has the whiff of a scam. With any devastating scam, a highly traumatized victim can experience emotional distress similar to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. The symptoms include ongoing anxiety, severe depression, insomnia, and emotional withdrawal. It’s like grieving the loss of a loved one. In that instance, the life lost is the one the victim had before their personal scam tragedy. By now you should be convinced that scams can have devastating effects on your life in a matter of months, weeks and days. It’s them vs. you. You must prepare yourself to fend off their attacks. The key to avoiding a scam is to do all you can to prevent becoming a victim. You can learn more about scams and how to avoid them at our Learning Center.