Psychology Articles
SCARS Articles about Scam/Fraud/Cybercrime Psychology, Victimology, Criminology, and Sociology
Articles relation to the psychology of scams, the exploitation by criminals, and their function and impact in scam victims.

Featured Articles
Avoidance Psychology: Scam Victim Passivity During Recovery – 2025
Scam Victim Passivity During Recovery Principal Category: Avoidance 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, Polymath, Read More ...
Anomia – A Typically Temporary Neurological Disorder in Severely Traumatized Scam Victims – 2025
Anomia - A Typically Temporary Neurological Disorder in Severely Traumatized Scam Victims Principal Category: Scam Victim Neurology Author: • Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. - Anthropologist, Scientist, Polymath, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Abstract This article explores the concept of trauma-related Anomia, Read More ...
Psychological Displacement and Scam Victims – 2025
Psychological Displacement and Scam Victims Psychological Displacement and Scam Victim Recovery: Understanding the Hidden Struggles Principal Category: Psychological Defense Mechanisms Authors: • Vianey Gonzalez B.Sc(Psych) – Licensed Psychologist with Specialty in Crime Victim Trauma Therapy, Neuropsychologist, Certified Deception Professional, Psychology Advisory Panel & Director of the Society of Citizens Read More ...
Tonic Immobility – A Response to Trauma or Stress and Crime Victims – 2025
Tonic Immobility - A Response to Trauma or Stress and Crime Victims Understanding the Involuntary Freeze Response Principal Category: Trauma Response 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 Read More ...
The Spotlight Effect – Cognitive Bias – 2025
The Spotlight Effect - Cognitive Bias Principal Category: Cognitive Biases Authors: • Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Abstract The spotlight effect is a cognitive bias that causes individuals to overestimate the extent to which others notice, Read More ...
Trauma Response – The Human ‘Prey Animal Response System’ and Scam Victims – 2025
The 'Prey Animal Response System' and Scam Victims - a Trauma Response The Human Mind's 'Prey Animal Response System' in Traumatized Scam Victims - Before, During, and Long After the Scam Principal Category: Psychology of Scams and Scam Victim Recovery Authors: • Vianey Gonzalez B.Sc(Psych) – Licensed Psychologist, Specialty Read More ...
Psychological Reactive Abuse in Relationship Scams – 2025
Psychological Reactive Abuse in Relationship Scams Principal Category: Psychology of Scams - Manipulation and Control 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 Read More ...
Opponent Processing in Scam Victims – Before and During the Scam – 2025
Opponent Processing in Scam Victims - Before and During the Scam Opponent Processing - a Cognitive Function that Can Increase Scam Victim Vulnerability Principal Category: Psychology/Neurology Author: • Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. - Anthropologist, Scientist, Polymath, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Read More ...
Psychology Articles
Avoidance Psychology: Scam Victim Passivity During Recovery – 2025
Scam Victim Passivity During Recovery Principal Category: Avoidance 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, Polymath, Read More ...
Above-Average Effect – A Cognitive Bias – 2025
Above-Average Effect Principal Category: Cognitive Biases Authors: • Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Abstract The Above-Average Effect, also known as Illusory Superiority, is a cognitive bias where individuals overestimate their abilities compared to others, Read More ...
Anomia – A Typically Temporary Neurological Disorder in Severely Traumatized Scam Victims – 2025
Anomia - A Typically Temporary Neurological Disorder in Severely Traumatized Scam Victims Principal Category: Scam Victim Neurology Author: • Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. - Anthropologist, Scientist, Polymath, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Abstract This article explores the concept of trauma-related Anomia, Read More ...
Psychological Displacement and Scam Victims – 2025
Psychological Displacement and Scam Victims Psychological Displacement and Scam Victim Recovery: Understanding the Hidden Struggles Principal Category: Psychological Defense Mechanisms Authors: • Vianey Gonzalez B.Sc(Psych) – Licensed Psychologist with Specialty in Crime Victim Trauma Therapy, Neuropsychologist, Certified Deception Professional, Psychology Advisory Panel & Director of the Society of Citizens Read More ...
Tonic Immobility – A Response to Trauma or Stress and Crime Victims – 2025
Tonic Immobility - A Response to Trauma or Stress and Crime Victims Understanding the Involuntary Freeze Response Principal Category: Trauma Response 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 Read More ...
The Spotlight Effect – Cognitive Bias – 2025
The Spotlight Effect - Cognitive Bias Principal Category: Cognitive Biases Authors: • Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Abstract The spotlight effect is a cognitive bias that causes individuals to overestimate the extent to which others notice, Read More ...
Trauma Response – The Human ‘Prey Animal Response System’ and Scam Victims – 2025
The 'Prey Animal Response System' and Scam Victims - a Trauma Response The Human Mind's 'Prey Animal Response System' in Traumatized Scam Victims - Before, During, and Long After the Scam Principal Category: Psychology of Scams and Scam Victim Recovery Authors: • Vianey Gonzalez B.Sc(Psych) – Licensed Psychologist, Specialty Read More ...
Psychological Reactive Abuse in Relationship Scams – 2025
Psychological Reactive Abuse in Relationship Scams Principal Category: Psychology of Scams - Manipulation and Control 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 Read More ...