Today we’d like to introduce you to Kathy Waters.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
In November of 2016, my mother’s friend spoke of a new boyfriend she met online. She was over the moon to say the least. The more she shared, however, the more the story seemed too good to be true. Army General, ready to retire, will move to her town and already bought her an engagement ring! My scammer antenna went up, and I started to research this “General’s” story. Low and behold, I was able to find the man in the stolen photo that the scammer was deicing my mom’s friend with. It was of already retired Army Colonel, Bryan Denny. I reached out to Bryan to confirm he was aware of how his photos were being used, and to also find out what has been done. Unfortunately, not much. That is when we decided to work together as a team to try and combat the crime of online romance scams.
Bryan and I conducted research on the number of fake accounts reported and remained; we met with Facebook regarding these results and several times after, with little to no help from them. Bryan and I knew the only way we would be able to see any type of movement when it came to safer platforms was if regulations were in place,
We have since met with over 25 congressional offices from both sides of the aisle. Online romance scams are definitely a bipartisan issue. They understand that scams affect not only one’s wallet but also cause psychological and emotional damage that can have lifelong effects.
In 2021, Advocating Against Romance Scammers officially became a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization. Since then, AARS founded World Romance Scam Prevention Day which was launched in 2023. This year will be our second year recognizing the day, and by doing that we have created the “MY VOICE” Campaign, where every victim can fill out a card as their voice and remain anonymous.
Another great accomplishment was our involvement with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) expert group meeting on organized crime syndicates.
We have a lot of exciting things ahead in the future, and we will be here until our services are no longer needed. Which we hope is sooner, than later.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Due to a law in place that allows social media companies not to be responsible for anything a third-party posts upon their site, one of our biggest challenges is feeling like we are fighting a losing battle, Until laws are in place to protect the consumer, we will continue challenging law makers to see the need for change.
We’ve been impressed with Advocating Against Romance Scammers, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I am an advocate for those whose images have been stolen and used to harm innocent individuals online and for those who have become victims of the scams along with their loved ones. My degree is in psychology, and my passion is helping others. When this need for help came into my life, I knew this was where my heart belonged.
The advocacy was started to educate every user online about romance scams and make it safe for all. We are proud that we have helped so many and worked with other organizations internationally.
Advocating Against Romance Scammers is a nonprofit that founded World Romance Scam Prevention Day. We knew the stigmas needed to end around the scam. We knew more people needed to be educated and we knew with this day, people would not feel alone.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
There are several materials on romance scams that I love! If you are a podcast lover, you will want to listen to “What the Hack Hosted with Adam Levin”, “Scammer Stories” with April Helm, and “Scam Rangers” with Ayelet Biger-Levin.
Books wise, I just finished “Keanu Reeves is Not in Love with You” by Becky Holmes, a great light hearted but serious book on romance scams. Psychology-wise, I loved ” The Emotional Impact of Being Scammed and How to Recover” by Cathy Wilson.
Contact Info:
- Website: advocatingforu.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/advocatingforu/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/advocatingforu
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/advocating-against-romance-scammers-855835199/
- Twitter: advocatingforuc
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeQ7ax1bAy0rAGLUN0yFA7A
- Other: Protectingheartsday.com
