简体中文
EnglishWhat Is Scam Victims United?
Updated
Scam Victims United is a victim-founded support and advocacy website for people who have lost money to fraud. It is not a government agency, law enforcement body, or law firm. Its stated purpose is to create a safe space for scam victims through education, recovery guidance, community, and advocacy. If you are looking for a place to understand common scams, find reporting resources, or connect with others who have been through similar experiences, this site is built for that. If you need formal legal representation or a guarantee of financial recovery, it is not that kind of resource.
Who runs it and why it exists
The site was formed by Shawn and Jeff Mosch after they became victims of a Nigerian counterfeit cashier's check scam. According to the site's own account, when they searched for support and resources for victims, they found none available. After sharing their story online and through news media, they connected with other victims of the same scam across the country. That growing group led them to create an online message group and a homepage.
The site reports that in the first three months after the original homepage launched, it received over 12,000 hits, warned and saved over 300 people from becoming victims, and helped stop over two million dollars from reaching the Nigerian counterfeiters. It also says it has helped victims cope and, in some cases, recover a portion of lost money. These are the organization's own figures and claims, not independently verified statistics.
What the site actually offers
The homepage organizes its work into four areas:
- Inform — Educating the public and victims about common scam tactics, with practical tools for action and recovery.
- Support Recovery — Guiding individuals through financial recovery by offering reporting resources and trusted help.
- Build Community — Creating a space where victims can share their stories, connect, and heal without blame or shame.
- Advocate for Change — Partnering with officials and ethical businesses to push for tougher consumer protections and scam prevention.
The mission statement describes the core mechanism: support and resources delivered through message groups and networking with other victims, providing a safe environment to share stories with people who have been through the same experience.
Types of scams covered
The site maintains a "Types of Scams" section. Examples listed on the homepage include:
| Scam type | What the site says about it |
|---|---|
| ATM Scam | The FBI and police across the country are seeing people's entire bank accounts drained in ATM scams. |
| Cashier's Check | Most common when you are selling something online — a used car, motorcycle, jewelry, or even bred animals. |
| Dinner Party | You are typically invited to a private gathering or party by someone you know. |
This is a starting catalog, not an exhaustive database. The value for a new visitor is recognizing a pattern that matches their own situation.
How to use it
- Identify the pattern. Browse the "Types of Scams" section and compare it to what happened to you. Naming the scam is often the first step toward knowing which reporting channels apply.
- Use the reporting resources. The recovery section points to reporting resources and "trusted help." Treat these as starting points for your own verification — confirm any organization's credentials before sharing personal or financial information.
- Join the community. The message groups are where victims share stories and compare notes. This is the site's central function: peer support rather than professional casework.
- Read the founders' story. The "Our Story" section describes the 1961 Buick sale that led to the counterfeit cashier's check scam, which gives concrete context for how these schemes operate in practice.
What it is not
- Not an official authority. It does not present itself as a government or law enforcement entity.
- Not a recovery guarantee. The site says it has assisted some victims in recovering a portion of lost money — a portion, in some cases, not a promise.
- Not a substitute for filing a report. For fraud in the U.S., reports generally go to the FTC, the FBI's IC3, and your state attorney general. The site's reporting resources are meant to guide you toward such channels, not replace them.
Who should visit
Scam Victims United is most useful if you have been defrauded, feel isolated or ashamed about it, and want to understand what happened while connecting with people who experienced the same thing. It is also useful if you want to recognize common scam patterns before you become a target. It is least useful if you need immediate legal action, a formal investigation, or a guaranteed route to getting money back — for those, go directly to law enforcement and consumer protection agencies.