Short Victim’s Stories

I remember that after the scam, I was so afraid of being scammed again. I felt very vulnerable. Then, when I learned through SCARS that my scam experience could be sold to other scammers and I could be targeted further times, I felt helpless. But I also learned how to better protect myself to not interact with scammers and avoid falling victim to a scam again.

I’m still an arriver. I’ve hit the 5 month mark and heading toward 6 months since my crime. In looking at the curve chart, I now understand why all of a sudden I find myself having to turn away from thoughts of the criminal hourly and daily. I had been doing pretty good in not thinking about that relationship. And I recognize myself for that statement. I see that I need to be patient, practice more self-care care and that I am approaching the crest of that hill of recovery. That is good! I still have a ways to go before I hit the top of that curve.

Go forward at your own pace.
Never compare yourself with others.
Don’t act under pressure.
Don’t do anything by force.
Don’t rush things.
Recognize the fact that everything has its time.
Appreciate what you have already accomplished.
Let every little progress motivate you to take the next step.

“It may be hard to believe when you are in the midst of despair, but healing does not stop at the moment of collapse. That moment is often what opens the door to something new.”

When it feels like you are struggling to simply survive and you can’t possibly see a way out of the pain you’re experiencing, the darkness fades away and the light begins to appear. Giving you hope, a bit of healing and the strength to move forward.

“It may be hard to believe when you are in the midst of despair, but healing does not stop at the moment of collapse. That moment is often what opens the door to something new.”

When it feels like you are struggling to simply survive and you can’t possibly see a way out of the pain you’re experiencing, the darkness fades away and the light begins to appear. Giving you hope, a bit of healing, and the strength to move forward.

I never thought I’d be the one to fall for a scam. The email looked so real, promising a refund for a service I’d canceled months ago. All I had to do was click the link and provide some details. In my haste, I didn’t see the red flags—the slightly off domain, the urgent tone. By the time I realized, my bank account was drained, and shame washed over me like a tidal wave. How could I have been so foolish? The nights that followed were sleepless, filled with self-blame and fear. I felt like I’d lost not just money, but my sense of security, my trust in myself.

The collapse was suffocating. I avoided telling anyone, convinced they’d judge me as harshly as I judged myself. But in that darkness, a small spark flickered. A friend noticed my silence and gently asked what was wrong. When I finally shared, the weight didn’t vanish, but it lightened. She didn’t judge; she listened. That moment of vulnerability became my first step toward healing.

I reported the scam, froze my accounts, and slowly rebuilt. Each action, no matter how small, was a reclaiming of control. The pain didn’t disappear overnight, but it began to shift. I found online forums where others shared similar stories, and their words reminded me I wasn’t alone. Strangers became a lifeline, offering advice and empathy. I started to forgive myself, understanding that the scam wasn’t a reflection of my worth but a predator’s cunning.

The light grew stronger with time. I learned to spot scams, to trust my instincts again. The despair that once felt endless became a chapter, not the whole story. Healing wasn’t linear—some days, anger or doubt crept back—but each step forward built resilience. What felt like an ending was, in truth, a beginning. The collapse cracked open a path to wisdom, connection, and a renewed sense of hope.