Blog: If the Scam Doesn’t Get You, the Systems Response Will
My Topic
I’d always contemplated the idea of a PhD, but I made a promise to myself: I would only take the plunge if the absolute perfect opportunity presented itself. This is a daunting requirement. When you can research almost anything, how would I find the one topic that would sustain my focus for years to come?
Then, in late 2023, I stumbled upon it. An ad from the University of Sydney seeking a PhD candidate for their Cyberpsychology Research Group, in partnership with an industry sponsor from the anti-scam world. As a psychologist deeply interested in technology, it was a perfect match.
The project broadly involves investigating the clinical impacts of scams on victims. But my specific focus is on a chilling concept an industry expert once shared with me: "We have a saying in this space: if the scam doesn't kill you, the system's response will."
That idea is the heart of my research: investigating how the official response to a scam can become a second, devastating form of victimisation.
A Crime of Betrayal and Blame
Scams are now a part of everyday life. Chances are, you’ve been scammed or know someone who has. It's a crisis that cost Australians a staggering $2.04 billion in 2024 alone, according to the ACCC's latest Targeting Scams report (March 2025). If working in this space has taught me anything, it's that no one is immune. There truly is a scam for everyone.
While there might be no immediate physical violence, this is far from a victimless crime. Scams are a profound psychological violation. They are crimes of manipulation and betrayal that can leave victims with nothing. The aftermath mirrors the trauma of violent crimes, leading to severe depression, anxiety, and a sense of hopelessness so profound that some feel there's no point in continuing.
The Second Wound: What is Secondary Victimisation?
So what is this "system response" that can be so damaging? After a scam, a victim must navigate a bureaucratic maze. They have to report the crime and recount their story—often dozens of times—to banks, police, government bodies like Services Australia or the Passport Office, and more.
This is what researchers call secondary victimisation: the re-traumatisation a person experiences not from the crime itself, but from the very systems designed to help them.
Imagine you've just lost your life savings to a sophisticated fraud. You are vulnerable, ashamed, and terrified. Now, picture having to relive this deeply humiliating experience over and over. With each retelling, you face the potential for judgment or blame. A dismissive bank teller. A police officer who implies you were an idiot for believing it. A robotic voice on a helpline that offers no real assistance. Then a shopping list of what appears to be an endless list of things you need to now do to recovery all the lost pieces of identity. Each interaction is another small cut, another layer of trauma inflicted at a time of extreme distress.
Charting a better path forward:
My research aims to move beyond simply acknowledging this problem. I want to map it out scientifically. By conducting in-depth interviews with scam victims and analysing the support protocols currently in place, my goal is to answer critical questions:
What specific institutional actions, words, or attitudes cause the most harm?
What does a truly supportive, trauma-informed response actually look like from a victim's perspective?
How can we create evidence-based training for frontline staff to respond with both empathy and effectiveness?
Ultimately, this PhD isn't just about writing a thesis. It's about creating a roadmap for change. It’s about providing banks, police, and government agencies with a clear framework to build systems that heal rather than harm. Because after surviving a scam, no one should have to say the fight for help was worse than the crime itself.
Have you been the victim of a scam and need assistance with your mental health? Please do not hesitate to get in touch, and I will be more than happy to discuss special options for treatment.
If you need assistance with recovering your identity following a scam, I always recommend IDCARE: phone: 1800 595 160
