The Dating Scam Survival Manifesto: Love, Loss, and Rebuilding with Truth and Art
A professor-turned-artist’s declaration against secrecy, shame, and dating scams.
Everybody’s Looking for Something
Love. Security. A chance to feel seen.
That’s the human story. Scammers know that story better than anyone — and they weaponize it.
Smart people get scammed. I know, because it happened to me.
It wasn’t because I was naïve, careless, or greedy. It was because scammers are experts at exploiting human psychology. They use stories, relationships, and trust to hook you—then they tighten the net until you feel like you can’t escape. By the time you realize what’s happening, you’ve already lost too much.
I don’t want that to happen to anyone else.
Who I Am
I’m Jeff — a retired professor, an artist, and someone living with Asperger’s.
For decades, I taught religion and pop culture at the university level, winning my school’s highest teaching award. But even with that success, I always felt like an outsider. Eventually, I left academia behind to pursue the work I should have been doing all along: creating art.
My Asperger’s diagnosis helped me understand why I see patterns others miss, and also why I can sometimes miss what feels obvious to everyone else. That’s both my strength and my vulnerability.
For me, the hook was love. I was looking for connection through a dating app. That’s where it started — but what I learned applies far beyond dating. Scammers use the same playbook whether they’re promising romance, business, or easy money.
Today, I’m rebuilding. With words. With ink. With drawings. With honesty.
What I Lost
I won’t share the exact number today, but I will tell you it was a significant amount — enough to shatter the security I had built over decades. I also lost love, trust, and pieces of my identity. For a while, I felt ashamed and isolated, convinced I couldn’t let anyone know.
But silence only helps the scammers.
That’s why I’m speaking now.
Why I’m Writing This
Here’s the truth: the problem isn’t just scams. The problem is secrecy, shame, and silence. That’s what keeps people stuck.
My promise is simple: I’ll tell you the truth, so you don’t have to learn the hard way.
I want you to know something important: I’m not here just to sell you a product. This is my life. I risked love, lost a lot, and now I’m rebuilding piece by piece.
What I offer blends everything I am:
- My professor side (the clear, structured teacher).
- My Asperger’s lens (pattern recognition and raw honesty).
- My artist’s hand (literal illustrations that make lessons unforgettable).
If my story can save you or someone you love, then sharing it is worth it.
Most scam guides you’ll find online are written by faceless institutions. They’re sterile lists of do’s and don’ts. Mine is different. It’s personal, visual, and built from lived experience.
The Resources I’ve Created
1. The Free Quick-Start Guide
If you’re hesitant to dive in, start here. It’s not a big commitment. This guide gives you a snapshot of the seven biggest red flags scammers use. It’s quick, it’s eye-opening, and it can help you start seeing scams more clearly. But honestly — it’s just a beginning. A small taste.
2. The $7 Scam Survival Guide
This is where the real value begins.
Inside, you’re not just skimming red flags — you’re walking through firsthand, detailed examples, each one written at the depth of a full blog post.
You get:
- Seven blog-length breakdowns of real scams I personally experienced.
- Two additional bonus blog posts that go deeper into recovery and pattern recognition.
- Clear, practical checklists and prompts to apply immediately.
That’s nine substantial blog posts worth of material for $7 — less than what most people spend on two days of coffee.
Think about it: people spend $7 without hesitation on a fast-food meal, a couple of lattes, or a streaming rental. The difference is: this $7 could save you from losing everything.
This is why I say the free version is a starting point — but the $7 guide is where the real protection begins.
At a Glance: Free vs. $7 vs. $27 vs. $47 / $97
Version | What You Get | Depth & Format | Price | Who It’s For
--------|--------------|----------------|-------|--------------
Free Quick-Start Guide | Snapshot of the 7 biggest red flags scammers use | 1 short PDF overview, fast and eye-opening | $0 | Curious readers, no commitment yet
$7 Scam Survival Guide | 7 blog-length detailed examples + 2 bonus posts + checklists | Equivalent of 9 full blog posts with clear, practical action steps | $7 | Anyone serious about protecting themselves or loved ones
$27 Expanded Guide (coming soon) | All of the $7 content + more illustrations, deeper analysis, recovery strategies | Extended workbook + visual storytelling | $27 | Readers ready for a deeper dive and step-by-step recovery path
Illustrated Scam Survival Course (launching early-bird) | 10 modules with video/audio + literal artwork (drawings, ink line work, paintings) + lifetime updates | Full course with teaching + art integration | $47 early-bird → $97 full price | People who want the complete system — the strongest protection and insight
What’s Next
I’m currently building two larger projects:
- A $27 expanded version with more lessons and recovery strategies.
- A full Illustrated Scam Survival Course that blends everything I’ve learned as a retired professor with my new life as a working artist.
And when I say “illustrated,” I don’t just mean “explained.” I mean literally illustrated: drawings, ink line work, paintings, and visuals created by me. Some things can’t be explained in bullet points — they have to be seen. When you see the spiral of a scam drawn on paper, you feel it in your gut. Once you see it, you’ll never forget it.
The course will launch at an early-bird price of $47, and then move to its full price of $97.
My Invitation
This is the beginning of something larger: a resource for anyone who feels ashamed, scared, or alone after being targeted. You’re not alone. I’m proof of that.
👉 Get the Free Quick-Start Guide here
👉 Upgrade to the Full $7 Scam Survival Guide here
Take care of yourself. Trust is precious, but so is protection.