About ScamMark

What ScamMark is

ScamMark is an independent consumer-information project focused on a practical question: what can a person do next when something feels suspicious or when a scam may already have happened?

ScamMark was created and is edited by Kris Tarr, a technology and cybersecurity professional. Editorial decisions are made independently, with an emphasis on verifiable evidence, practical consumer guidance and clear sourcing.

The site is built for a global audience. It combines verification, prevention, evidence preservation, reporting and realistic recovery steps with research into why scams work, how scam patterns change and which interventions may reduce risk.

ScamMark does not sell “guaranteed recovery,” and it does not treat an automated score as proof that an unfamiliar website, person or offer is safe.

Why the name “ScamMark”

In confidence-trick slang, a mark is the intended target of a swindle. ScamMark deliberately reverses that idea: mark the scam before the scammer makes you the mark. The point is not to label victims as gullible. It is to move attention toward the warning pattern and the decision that can still be verified.

Evidence before accusation

ScamMark distinguishes between official enforcement findings, regulator or law-enforcement warnings, documented reporting, patterns consistent with known scams, allegations and unverified user claims. A person or business should not be labelled a scammer merely because somebody says so.

ScamMark does not operate an open public accusation database.

How sources are chosen

For procedures, reporting channels and factual claims, ScamMark prefers current primary sources such as regulators, law-enforcement agencies, banks, payment providers, platforms, courts and established consumer-protection organizations.

For broader understanding, ScamMark also uses peer-reviewed research, systematic reviews, reputable research institutions and high-quality datasets. Useful evidence is not restricted to English. Material published in other languages is reviewed when it adds regional knowledge, data or a perspective that would otherwise be missed.

Research and interpretation

A study result is not automatically a universal rule. ScamMark explains important limitations such as sample size, geography, age group, study design and whether the evidence shows correlation or causation.

When ScamMark creates a chart or graphic from published data, the visual is produced independently and the original data source is cited. Third-party charts, photographs and illustrations are not copied merely because the underlying information is useful.

Recovery claims

Whether money can be recovered depends on the payment method, timing, jurisdiction, provider policies and facts of the incident. ScamMark explains actions worth trying; it does not promise an outcome.

Editorial independence

Commercial relationships do not determine whether a company, service or scam pattern is described positively or negatively. Paid relationships must be disclosed clearly.