{"id":975,"date":"2026-05-28T22:05:02","date_gmt":"2026-05-28T22:05:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jacksonvillemovingnews.com\/?p=975"},"modified":"2026-05-28T22:05:02","modified_gmt":"2026-05-28T22:05:02","slug":"scam-survivors-find-healing-through-support-groups-after-devastating-financial-losses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jacksonvillemovingnews.com\/?p=975","title":{"rendered":"Scam survivors find healing through support groups after devastating financial losses"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

A phone call, email or text message can change someone\u2019s life in an instant.<\/p>\n

For many scam survivors, the financial losses are only part of the damage. Long after the money is gone, survivors say they are often left dealing with shame, isolation and emotional trauma.<\/p>\n

Read more $2 a day turns into World Cup tickets for 10-year-old superfan<\/a><\/p>\n

Now, a growing number of people targeted by sophisticated cybercriminals are turning to peer support groups to help them recover and move forward.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe money disappeared. Everything,\u201d said Peter Detore, one of several people who shared their experiences with NBC6 Responds.<\/p>\n

Over the years, NBC6 Responds has reported on South Floridians who said they lost thousands of dollars to romance scams, cryptocurrency fraud, identity theft and imposters posing as trusted organizations or loved ones.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just felt crushed. I felt frustrated. I felt duped,\u201d another person said.<\/p>\n

But victims say the emotional recovery process can be just as difficult as the financial fallout.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was demoralizing, it was financially devastating, emotionally crippling,\u201d said Pat Boyd during a virtual support group session.<\/p>\n

The meetings are hosted by\u00a0FightCybercrime.org, a national nonprofit organization that offers counselor-led recovery programs for fraud survivors. The organization launched the groups more than four years ago to help people impacted by scams rebuild emotionally and connect with others facing similar experiences.<\/p>\n

Participants in the virtual meetings openly discuss how they were targeted emotionally and financially.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd so, the support group helps people understand that this conflict is going on in their head,\u201d one participant said. \u201cMy intellectual side of my brain was saying no, and my emotional side of the brain was saying yes. And I was transferring money when I was crying … But I lost a quarter of a million dollars.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more \u2018A proud day\u2019: Teen stabbed by girlfriend honored with posthumous diploma at Miami Northwestern graduation<\/a><\/p>\n

The 10-week program focuses on education, emotional recovery and reducing the stigma many victims feel after being scammed.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs adults, there\u2019s really nowhere where we get education around scams,\u201d said Jennifer Lawrence, director of clinical programs and trauma recovery for\u00a0FightCybercrime.org. \u201cComing to a group like this, learning what happened, how it happened, and why it happened really helps people move forward and helps protect people in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lawrence said many participants come to the program feeling isolated and overwhelmed.<\/p>\n

\u201cBy the time people are coming to us, they\u2019re pretty desperate,\u201d Lawrence said. \u201cThey\u2019re really looking for community. They\u2019re really looking for education. And really, they want to know what they can do to move forward.\u201d<\/p>\n

Participants say the support groups not only helped them process their own experiences but also inspired them to warn others about online scams.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis computer screen, while it makes it easy to talk with, you have to trust the other person on the other end,\u201d one participant said. \u201cYou have to recognize the fact that you need to meet in person or get on the phone or be in a place where you can trust that the other person is authentic.\u201d<\/p>\n

Experts recommend consumers regularly change passwords, use unique and complex passwords for online accounts, and remain cautious of unexpected phone calls, emails and text messages requesting money or personal information.<\/p>\n

Anyone who believes they may have been targeted by a scam should report the incident to law enforcement and consumer protection agencies.<\/p>\n

Read more 4 hospitalized after medical call at Opa-locka Executive Airport, officials say<\/a><\/p>\n

More information about the recovery groups is available at\u00a0FightCybercrime.org.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For many scam survivors, the financial losses are only part of the damage. Long after the money is gone, survivors say they are often left dealing with shame,\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":974,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[147],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-975","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-scams"],"yoast_head":"\nScam survivors find healing through support groups after devastating financial losses - Jacksonville Moving News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/jacksonvillemovingnews.com\/?p=975\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Scam survivors find healing through support groups after devastating financial losses - Jacksonville Moving News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"For many scam survivors, the financial losses are only part of the damage. 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