Send us Fan MailA Father's Fight Against Sextortion: Brandon Guffey and Gavin's StoryIn July 2022, Brandon Guffey lost his son Gavin to a sextortion scheme that began with a message on Instagram. Gavin had just graduated high school and was looking forward to college. Within hours of connecting with someone pretending to be a teenage girl, he became the target of threats and blackmail that ended in tragedy.In this episode, Brandon shares Gavin's story, the investigation that followed, and his fight to protect other young people from the same devastating crime. We discuss how sextortion works, why shame and fear make victims so vulnerable, and how Brandon helped pass Gavin's Law, requiring schools in South Carolina to educate students about sextortion.His message to young people is simple: Tomorrow needs you.This is a conversation every parent, educator, and young person should hear. Awareness and open conversations can save lives.For teens and anyone under 18 (or images from when they were under 18)NCMEC CyberTipline: report.cybertip.org, or call 1-800-843-5678 (1-800-THE-LOST). If the images show someone under 18, a report to NCMEC is recommended in addition to the FBI and the platform. revisionlegalTake It Down: takeitdown.ncmec.org. It’s for nude or sexually explicit images taken when the person was under 18, and it can be used even if they’re now an adult. The image stays on the person’s own device. revisionlegalguptadeepakFor everyone, any ageFBI: Report at tips.fbi.gov, call 1-800-CALL-FBI, or use the Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov. revisionlegalLocal police: They can also take a report, which may matter if the perpetrator is someone the victim knows. In an emergency, call 911. revisionlegalThe platform itself: Report and block the account on Instagram, Snapchat, or wherever the contact happened.For adults whose intimate images are being shared or threatenedStopNCII.org: a free image-matching service for adults, similar to Take It Down. It’s run by the Revenge Porn Helpline, part of the charity SWGfL. maxintelFTC: Under the federal Take It Down Act, platforms must remove intimate images within 48 hours of a request. If one doesn’t, report it at TakeItDown.ftc.gov.Fake “helpers” are a real problem. The FBI has warned about companies that charge sextortion victims fees or use high-pressure tactics, while law enforcement and nonprofits help for free. Anyone who says “send us the pictures so we can remove them” is a red flag. That fits your “paying doesn’t make it stop” message. Please share this episode. Someone in your life may need to hear it.Support the showRomance Scam Rebellion is entirely self funded. If this content has helped you, educated someone you love, or simply made you more aware of these crimes — please consider supporting the mission. Every contribution helps me continue this work and get one step closer to rebuilding what was taken from me:  You can donate at:  https://www.gofundme.com/f/rebuilding-after-a-romance-scam-at-69Email me at [email protected] if you have a story you need to tell.

Send us Fan MailWhen Strangers Reach OutWhy is a complete stranger suddenly interested in you? And what do they really want?A text message, a Facebook friend request, an unexpected phone call, or a conversation that starts on a gaming app may seem harmless. But sometimes, that first contact is the beginning of something much more calculated.In this Season 4 opener of Scam Rebel: Looking for Clues, we're looking at the first clue: Why are they contacting you in the first place?We'll explore how scammers initiate contact, why being singled out doesn't necessarily mean you're special, and what to watch for before a seemingly innocent interaction turns into something more dangerous.Because whether it's a romance scam, sextortion, or an investment opportunity that sounds too good to be true, the tactics often follow familiar patterns.Learn to recognize when an interaction feels fast, private, personal, and pushy. Slow down. Verify independently. And remember: you don't owe a stranger your trust, your attention, or a response.Sometimes, the most important clue is the very first one.Stay curious. Keep asking questions. And keep looking for the clues.If you'd like to reach out you can contact me at [email protected] the showRomance Scam Rebellion is entirely self funded. If this content has helped you, educated someone you love, or simply made you more aware of these crimes — please consider supporting the mission. Every contribution helps me continue this work and get one step closer to rebuilding what was taken from me:  You can donate at:  https://www.gofundme.com/f/rebuilding-after-a-romance-scam-at-69Email me at [email protected] if you have a story you need to tell.

Send us Fan MailI used to believe that when somebody wanted to connect with me online, they actually were who they presented themselves to be.This is my fractured fairytale. What's yours?In this Season 3 finale of Romance Scam Rebellion, I take a closer look at the beliefs we carry about scams, vulnerability, intelligence, love, and trust—and how those beliefs can leave us more vulnerable than we realize.After three seasons of speaking with victims, investigators, advocates, prosecutors, psychologists, and even people who were trafficked into scam compounds and forced to deceive others, one thing has become painfully clear: intelligence alone doesn't make us immune to deception.The belief that “it could never happen to me” can be one of the most dangerous fractured fairytales of all.This episode explores why preparedness—not intelligence—is one of our strongest tools against scams, how to recognize our own blind spots, and how we can help protect the people we love.Because maybe the question isn't whether you're smart enough to spot a scam.Maybe the question is: Are you prepared?Support the showRomance Scam Rebellion is entirely self funded. If this content has helped you, educated someone you love, or simply made you more aware of these crimes — please consider supporting the mission. Every contribution helps me continue this work and get one step closer to rebuilding what was taken from me:  You can donate at:  https://www.gofundme.com/f/rebuilding-after-a-romance-scam-at-69Email me at [email protected] if you have a story you need to tell.

Send us Fan MailThere is an uncomfortable truth we may not want to consider, but it's very much a reality for many.In this powerful episode of Romance Scam Rebellion, Shadrack shares his extraordinary story of being trafficked from Uganda to Cambodia after accepting what he believed was a legitimate IT job.Instead, he was drugged, taken to a remote scam compound, and forced to participate in romance scams targeting Americans and Canadiana. Shadrack describes the violence, fear, and coercion he experienced—and his eventual escape from the compound.His story challenges what we think we know about the people behind online scams and reveals another layer of human trafficking that is happening inside Southeast Asian scam compounds.This is Shadrack's story.My email: [email protected] the showRomance Scam Rebellion is entirely self funded. If this content has helped you, educated someone you love, or simply made you more aware of these crimes — please consider supporting the mission. Every contribution helps me continue this work and get one step closer to rebuilding what was taken from me:  You can donate at:  https://www.gofundme.com/f/rebuilding-after-a-romance-scam-at-69Email me at [email protected] if you have a story you need to tell.

Send us Fan MailAre Bitcoin ATMs helping stop scams—or helping scammers get paid?In this episode of Romance Scam Rebellion, I sit down with Paul Tarantino, CEO of Byte Federal, to hear the case for Bitcoin ATMs from someone in the industry.We talk about fraud prevention, scam warnings, wallet screening, AI, refunds, fees, regulation, and the claim that Bitcoin ATMs primarily serve the unbanked and underbanked.Paul makes some compelling points—but did he change my mind about Bitcoin ATMs?Listen to the conversation and hear my answer at the end.More importantly: did he change yours?#RomanceScamRebellion #BitcoinATM #CryptoScams #ScamPrevention #FraudAwarenessSupport the showRomance Scam Rebellion is entirely self funded. If this content has helped you, educated someone you love, or simply made you more aware of these crimes — please consider supporting the mission. Every contribution helps me continue this work and get one step closer to rebuilding what was taken from me:  You can donate at:  https://www.gofundme.com/f/rebuilding-after-a-romance-scam-at-69Email me at [email protected] if you have a story you need to tell.

Send us Fan MailLast episode, Heather Rovet told us how Jace, the man she thought she'd build a life with, turned out to be a career con man and criminal, living a double life under her own roof. In part two, the story gets even more unbelievable.We pick up as the Canadian justice system moves at a maddening crawl, as Jace vanishes to move in with his next target just weeks after leaving Heather's home, and as Heather turns amateur investigator, tracking down his other victims and piecing together a pattern of theft, fraud, and manipulation that stretches back decades.Then, just as his criminal trial is finally set to begin, Jace does something so brazen it adds obstruction of justice and jury tampering to his growing list of charges,  serious enough to potentially keep him behind bars for years.Heather also opens up about what it took to rebuild: a solo healing trip to Thailand, the moment she watched The Tinder Swindler and vowed to one day meet its subject, and how she's since connected with a growing network of women who've survived men just like Jace — and are done staying silent.This isn't just the rest of Heather's story. It's a case study in how the system so often fails victims of fraud — and what it takes to fight back anyway.📺 Watch part one: [link]🎬 Watch the documentary: RomCon: Who the F** Is Jason Porter? On Amazon PrimeSupport the showRomance Scam Rebellion is entirely self funded. If this content has helped you, educated someone you love, or simply made you more aware of these crimes — please consider supporting the mission. Every contribution helps me continue this work and get one step closer to rebuilding what was taken from me:  You can donate at:  https://www.gofundme.com/f/rebuilding-after-a-romance-scam-at-69Email me at [email protected] if you have a story you need to tell.

Send us Fan MailA chance meeting. An instant connection. A relationship that felt good, and real.In Part One of this two part conversation with Heather Rovet, Heather shares the remarkable true story behind the documentary Rom Con: Who the F**k is Jason Porter? What began as a whirlwind romance with a charming, successful man slowly unraveled into a web of deception, manipulation, and betrayal.Heather recounts how they met, why she trusted him, the subtle warning signs she couldn't yet see, and the shocking discoveries that changed her life forever.Her story is a powerful reminder that romance scams don't just happen online, and that anyone can become the target of a skilled predator.If you've ever wondered how intelligent, successful people become victims of deception, this episode is for you.Support the showRomance Scam Rebellion is entirely self funded. If this content has helped you, educated someone you love, or simply made you more aware of these crimes — please consider supporting the mission. Every contribution helps me continue this work and get one step closer to rebuilding what was taken from me:  You can donate at:  https://www.gofundme.com/f/rebuilding-after-a-romance-scam-at-69Email me at [email protected] if you have a story you need to tell.

Send us Fan MailWhen most people picture a romance scam, they imagine fake profiles and strangers hiding behind a screen. Tracy Hall's story is different, and in some ways more terrifying. The man she knew as "Max Tavita," a charismatic chief investment officer, was real. He met her in person, spent nearly two years building a relationship with her, took vacations with her, met her daughter... and turned out to be someone else entirely.His real name was Hamish McLaren, one of Australia's most notorious career con men, a serial fraudster who spent roughly three decades and stole an estimated $70 million from victims around the world under a series of fabricated identities. Tracy learned the truth the same way the rest of Australia did: watching a Crime Stoppers video of his arrest. She lost her life savings of $317,000, and became the final victim in a criminal case involving 15 people and $7.6 million.In this conversation, Tracy shares how the relationship was built slowly and deliberately over 18 months, how Hamish mirrored her values and interests to seem like the perfect match, how her retirement savings were siphoned into an account that was never actually in her name, and the massive gaps she discovered in victim support once financial crime, unlike violent crime, offered her almost no assistance to recover.We also talk about what it means that Hamish's prison sentence which ended in July 2026.  What she's doing now as one of Australia's leading voices in fraud prevention, and the very real threat of teenage sextortion she's since uncovered while trying to protect her own daughter online.Tracy's book, The Last Victim, is now available in the US — link below.📖 Get the book: Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Last-Victim-betrayal-unbreakable-relationship-ebook/dp/B0CS9JG381Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Last-Victim-Audiobook/B0CWB6FPC1?srsltid=AfmBOopSUsJgBeTCdE9o3hp5fPEgavDKuvEoUxH1z96pqRAG9SCOljYh 🔗 Follow Tracy: LinkedIn / Instagram: https://tracyhall.com.au/instagram 🎧 Related: "Who the Hell is Hamish?" podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/who-the-hell-is-hamish/id1451470931https://open.spotify.com/show/1NpAwUFhZUsO8FkifAxgWtSupport the showRomance Scam Rebellion is entirely self funded. If this content has helped you, educated someone you love, or simply made you more aware of these crimes — please consider supporting the mission. Every contribution helps me continue this work and get one step closer to rebuilding what was taken from me:  You can donate at:  https://www.gofundme.com/f/rebuilding-after-a-romance-scam-at-69Email me at [email protected] if you have a story you need to tell.

Send us Fan MailWhat started as one woman's effort to protect her mother's friend turned into a decade-long fight against romance scammers on a national and international scale. In this episode, Kathy Waters, co-founder of Advocating Against Romance Scammers (AARS)  shares how a stolen military photo led her to uncover an entire network of fake profiles, and how that discovery reshaped her life.Kathy talks about tracking down the real man behind the stolen photos, meeting with lawmakers in Washington D.C., speaking before the United Nations, and helping launch World Romance Scam Prevention Day,  all while working a full-time job. We dig into why social media platforms keep failing to remove fake accounts, the fight to reform Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, and why survivors are so often blamed instead of believed.This is a conversation about persistence, compassion, and what it really takes to hold powerful platforms accountable.Resources mentioned: Learn more or find support at AARS' website: advocatingforu.comSupport the showRomance Scam Rebellion is entirely self funded. If this content has helped you, educated someone you love, or simply made you more aware of these crimes — please consider supporting the mission. Every contribution helps me continue this work and get one step closer to rebuilding what was taken from me:  You can donate at:  https://www.gofundme.com/f/rebuilding-after-a-romance-scam-at-69Email me at [email protected] if you have a story you need to tell.

Send us Fan MailRomance scams, pig butchering (we agree to disagree on this term), cryptocurrency fraud, and transnational organized crime have become a multi-billion-dollar global industry. But one former prosecutor has made it her mission to fight back.In this episode of The Romance Scam Rebellion, I sit down with Erin West, former Deputy District Attorney and founder of Operation Shamrock, to discuss the criminal networks behind today's most sophisticated scams—and what it will take to stop them.We explore how organized scam syndicates operate across international borders, why cryptocurrency has become their preferred payment method, and how law enforcement, financial institutions, and the private sector are beginning to work together to disrupt these criminal enterprises.We also discuss:How scam compounds operateWhy victims should never be blamedThe role cryptocurrency plays in modern fraudHow Operation Shamrock is bringing global partners togetherWhat governments, banks, and technology companies can do to better protect consumersPractical steps everyone can take to avoid becoming the next victimThis isn't just another conversation about scams—it's about understanding the global ecosystem that allows them to thrive and the people working tirelessly to dismantle it.If you or someone you know has been affected by a scam, you're not alone. Education is one of the most powerful tools we have, and conversations like this are an important step toward protecting others.If you enjoyed this episode, please like, subscribe, and share it with someone you care about. Together, we can make it harder for scammers to succeed.Erins podcast:  https://www.operationshamrock.org/podcast/stolen Operation Shamrock web page:  https://www.operationshamrock.org/Support the showRomance Scam Rebellion is entirely self funded. If this content has helped you, educated someone you love, or simply made you more aware of these crimes — please consider supporting the mission. Every contribution helps me continue this work and get one step closer to rebuilding what was taken from me:  You can donate at:  https://www.gofundme.com/f/rebuilding-after-a-romance-scam-at-69Email me at [email protected] if you have a story you need to tell.