Includes a section about helping your loved one to get out of the relationship if they don’t believe it is a scammer
Thank you for checking into this course, which probably means you have recently found out that someone you care about was the victim of a scam or fraud. Whether the person had the courage to reach out to you or you found out in another way, this course will help you understand how this has impacted them and how to help.
Scam victims find It difficult to reach out at first because of shame and stigma; when they do, they are often re-traumatized by victim-blaming, or by a person who does not fully understand this type of crime or the reasons it has such a tremendous emotional impact. You can make a huge difference to your loved one by understanding this and supporting them the best ways possible.
Unfortunately, this crime is becoming more common. The number of people that experience fraud or a scam is growing fast, too. In 2023, the amount scammers stole from victims was more than $10 billion, and this was over five times the amount stolen in 2019 (based on reporting by the FTC). Scammers are becoming more skilled and technological advances are making it easier for them to steal. There is an urgent need for more people to be knowledgeable about how this kind of crime happens, ways to prevent it, and ways to protect ourselves in the future, too.
This is a terrible experience for you as well, and I hope you find ways to care for yourself as you support your loved one, and I hope all of the information in this course useful to you.
Read on to see the full course description, or please contact me for a link to the course!
The Psychological Impact of Scams and Financial Fraud: For Family and Friends Providing Support
Join Cathy Wilson, LPC, ACS, in this online course to understand the ways to effectively talk with and support scam and fraud victims. By gaining this understanding, you will be able to provide caring support to your loved one who has experienced this type of crime. These crimes are almost always traumatic for a person. Scams in particular are shrouded in secrecy, stigma, and victim-blaming.
This course is created from many voices of victims (who are also survivors!) about what they experienced and what they needed. There are very few published resources about the psychological impact victims experience. Those resources are based on what people share when they are willing to make the information public such as through interviews, social media, research, or an FBI report. This course, however, allows you to also gain an understanding directly from my work with scam and fraud survivors who were unwilling to share the information publicly. You’ll gain a deep understanding of the reluctance so many people have about telling anyone, even their closest friends and family.
In addition to the voices of victims/survivors, this material applies many concepts related to the power of manipulation and influence.
What you will learn:
- The many difficult psychological effects a person may experience after a scam/fraud
- There are over 50 tactics that scammers use described in this course – this section is important to help you fully understand how this can happen
- If your loved one has stayed involved with a scammer even after it seems clear that is what is happening, there is a special section in this course to help you with how to talk with them and support them
Are you the partner of someone who was exploited by a romance scam or pig butchering scam? Please reach out to me. I’m developing a course specifically for you, and the harm and betrayal you have experienced.
Instructor Credentials:
Cathy Wilson is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Colorado and Arizona, USA, and is also an Approved Clinical Supervisor. She has over a decade of experience with, and specializes in working with people who have been scammed, and helping them heal and overcome this difficult experience. She has facilitated presentations on many aspects of the emotional impact of being scammed, has written a book on this topic, titled The Emotional Impact of Being Scammed and How to Recover, and has also created several trainings and informative videos on this topic as well.
Colorado Licensed Professional Counselor #6143
Arizona Licensed Professional Counselor #22949
Approved Clinical Supervisor #3328