In a world where we are more digitally connected than ever, it's important to be aware of who we are talking to. Debbie Montgomery Johnson, an advocate for victims and survivors of online fraud, never would have guessed that she would have been involved in a romance scam. After two years and one million dollars, she is here to share her story in hopes of preventing this from happening to someone else and to help others going through it. She joins us today to talk about the red flags to look out for, why we need to protect our identities, and how we can take our power back if this happens to us. 

Debbie’s story reminds us that this can happen to anyone and that despite the shame you may be carrying, it is important to speak up if this happens to you. Tune into this episode and then share it with a friend so more people can become aware of this topic!

In this week’s episode, we discuss:

[01:22] About Debbie Montgomery Johnson

[03:17] How Debbie started to speak up for victims and survivors 

[06:49] The impact that becoming a widow had on her life

[13:14] How she met a criminal on an online dating website

[19:13] Red flags vs “pink flags” and amygdala hijacking

[24:15] This fraud goes beyond romantic relationships

[29:28] The mental health impact on the victims of these crimes

[31:11] Why we need to protect our identity and notice red flags on social media

[34:20] How to defend a stolen profile or identity

[36:01] Meeting the criminal who took advantage of her

[40:05] The worst part of the entire experience

[46:12] The red flags to look out for

[53:31] Taking your power back

[55:21] “It’s not catfishing, it’s fraud”

[58:29] What keeps Debbie going

[1:00:29] There is a need for more laws to be in place

[1:03:57] “Beware and be aware”

[1:08:48] Debbie's favorite date

 

Connect with Debbie:

Website 

Facebook

SCARS Facebook

LinkedIn