Beyond the Crime - What Victims Really Face
Tracks
Springbrook Room - In-Person Only
| Tuesday, June 23, 2026 |
| 1:30 PM - 1:50 PM |
Overview
Kylee Dennis, Two Face Investigations
Presenter
Mrs Kylee Dennis
Founder
Two Face Investigations
Beyond the Crime - What Victims Really Face
Presentation Overview
Beyond the Crime: What Victims Really Face is a 20-minute presentation crafted for mental health professionals to explore the deep psychological, emotional, and social consequences of cyber fraud. It reframes scams as not merely financial crimes, but as psychological assaults that inflict long-lasting trauma.
The presentation begins by exposing the misconception that harm ends when the money is stolen. Victims, it explains, experience “triage trauma”, the shock of realising their trust has been weaponised. It then introduces four interconnected categories of harm: financial fallout, emotional wreckage, life and identity losses, and systemic abandonment. Each dimension reflects how fraud dismantles not only economic stability but also self-worth, relationships, and faith in institutions.
Drawing on Dr. Martina Dove’s research in The Psychology of Fraud, Persuasion and Scam Techniques, the talk delves into the psychological mechanism's scammers exploit. These include persuasion tactics such as authority and scarcity, emotional hijacking through fear or love, and cognitive biases like optimism bias and the sunk cost fallacy. By explaining these mechanisms, the presentation dispels myths of gullibility, emphasizing that fraud targets universal human psychology.
A section on shame highlights how social judgment isolates victims, prolonging recovery. Survivor voices are woven throughout, echoing the plea to “stand with us” and to fight for dignity, not just dollars. The presentation positions mental health professionals as essential allies in recovery, normalising victimhood, applying trauma-informed care, and advocating for systemic change.
Concluding with a call to empathy and action, it reminds professionals that cyber fraud is not simply a financial issue but a human one. The true measure of our collective integrity, it asserts, lies in how we support those harmed, with compassion, justice, and unwavering care.
Three Key Learnings
1. Scams are psychological crimes that exploit universal human emotions and cognitive biases, not a reflection of victim stupidity.
2. The aftermath of scams is multilayered, including emotional trauma, identity crises, and systemic neglect, requiring trauma-informed support.
3. Mental health professionals play a vital role by normalizing victimhood, dismantling shame, advocating for justice, and using empathy, validation, and education to help survivors rebuild trust and move toward healing.
The presentation begins by exposing the misconception that harm ends when the money is stolen. Victims, it explains, experience “triage trauma”, the shock of realising their trust has been weaponised. It then introduces four interconnected categories of harm: financial fallout, emotional wreckage, life and identity losses, and systemic abandonment. Each dimension reflects how fraud dismantles not only economic stability but also self-worth, relationships, and faith in institutions.
Drawing on Dr. Martina Dove’s research in The Psychology of Fraud, Persuasion and Scam Techniques, the talk delves into the psychological mechanism's scammers exploit. These include persuasion tactics such as authority and scarcity, emotional hijacking through fear or love, and cognitive biases like optimism bias and the sunk cost fallacy. By explaining these mechanisms, the presentation dispels myths of gullibility, emphasizing that fraud targets universal human psychology.
A section on shame highlights how social judgment isolates victims, prolonging recovery. Survivor voices are woven throughout, echoing the plea to “stand with us” and to fight for dignity, not just dollars. The presentation positions mental health professionals as essential allies in recovery, normalising victimhood, applying trauma-informed care, and advocating for systemic change.
Concluding with a call to empathy and action, it reminds professionals that cyber fraud is not simply a financial issue but a human one. The true measure of our collective integrity, it asserts, lies in how we support those harmed, with compassion, justice, and unwavering care.
Three Key Learnings
1. Scams are psychological crimes that exploit universal human emotions and cognitive biases, not a reflection of victim stupidity.
2. The aftermath of scams is multilayered, including emotional trauma, identity crises, and systemic neglect, requiring trauma-informed support.
3. Mental health professionals play a vital role by normalizing victimhood, dismantling shame, advocating for justice, and using empathy, validation, and education to help survivors rebuild trust and move toward healing.
Biography
Kylee Dennis is a former New South Wales Police detective with fourteen years in high-risk investigations, crisis negotiation, and child protection. After leaving law enforcement, she created Two Face Investigations, a platform that uncovers online romance scams and supports victims who face lasting emotional strain. Kylee blends investigative insight with empathy to reveal the psychological toll of digital deception. Her talks focus on restoring confidence, recognising manipulation, and building resilience. Guided by compassion and prevention, she helps audiences explore the link between mental health and the emotional wounds left by online fraud.
