IF WE CAN HAVE A BANNER WARNING ABOUT SCAMMERS...SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS CAN TOO!
IF WE CAN HAVE A BANNER WARNING ABOUT SCAMMERS...SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS CAN TOO!
Kathy is a recognized authority whom media outlets, congressional staff, international
agencies, and Facebook turn to for insights into online romance scams. With over 4,000
volunteer hours dedicated to assisting identity theft victims and those ensnared by
scammers, she has established herself as a pivotal figure in this field.
Her advocacy extends to numerous engagements in Washington, D.C., where she has met with congressional and Senate staff, the Federal Trade Commission, and Pentagon officials. Notably, Kathy is among the few individuals to have engaged directly with Facebook, Inc.'s safety and security team, sharing her comprehensive data collection, reports, and insights.
Kathy's journey into combating romance scams began with a personal experience when a friend of her mother fell victim to a scammer impersonating a military general. This incident led Kathy to connect with Colonel Bryan Denny (Ret.), whose identity had been stolen. Together, they co-
founded Advocating Against Romance Scammers (AARS), which is dedicated to raising awareness about this pervasive scam and its profound impact.
Kathy's commitment to this cause exemplifies her passion for protecting individuals and communities from online fraud. She advocates tirelessly to bring attention to the issue and drive meaningful change.
Kathy also holds the role of co-chair for the Victims Services division of Operation Shamrock, a coalition that unites stakeholders across various sectors involved in combating transnational organized crime. Operation Shamrock's mission is to integrate efforts throughout the entire investigative and prosecutorial process, thereby creating a unified front against criminal activities. This collaborative effort not only enhances information sharing and resource
consolidation but also enables the development of targeted responses to effectively combat the scourge of online romance scams.
Through her leadership in Operation Shamrock, Kathy spearheads initiatives aimed at ensuring comprehensive victim support and advocacy. This includes coordinating with global partners and
governmental bodies to implement robust strategies for victim assistance and perpetrator accountability. By fostering this collaborative approach, Operation Shamrock and Kathy are instrumental in safeguarding individuals worldwide from the devastating impacts of online fraud while advancing efforts to dismantle criminal networks.
Bryan Denny is a founding member of Advocating Against Romance Scammers, and Chairman. He served as an officer in the U.S. Army for 26 years, retiring at the rank of Colonel. In 2016, Bryan’s photos were stolen and used to build thousands of fake profiles. From mainstream social media sites to obscure dating services, he became the face of a military romance scam. Now, he is directly involved in the fight to expose scammers by educating potential victims and changing legislation to keep organized crime off of the Internet.
Bryan has appeared on Four Corners Australia, Nightline, The Mell Robins Show, Inside Edition and countless newspapers including the New York Times. His work in bringing attention to romance scams has reached thousands. Bryan, and his partner in this endeavor, Kathy Waters, are dedicated to making a difference in this fight!
Julie Golub is an Associate Director in consulting with more than 12 years of financial services experience. As part of her experience in Regulatory Risk, her expertise focuses on bank regulation with emphasis on compliance management related to retail banking, both in consumer and Anti-Money Laundering laws. With a background in both psychology and regulatory risk, she has become passionate about understanding both the logistical and emotional tactics that romance scammers use to victimize people. She understands that social media, dating services, financial services, payment platforms, cyber security and many different communication mediums all play a role and that regulatory change is necessary to keep people safe and make an impact.
Mr. Roger L. Campbell has been a law enforcement officer since 1991 and has a broad-based investigative background. He began his law enforcement career as a police officer for the City of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. In 1996, Mr. Campbell was promoted to a detective where he served as lead investigator, specializing in violent crimes committed by juveniles.
In 1997, Mr. Campbell entered on duty with the FBI as a Special Agent. After graduating from the new agent’s training in Quantico, Virginia, he was assigned to the Washington, D.C. Field Division. While there, he investigated a wide variety of crimes, and specialized in complex fraud investigations. Mr. Campbell was also a member of the Washington Field Division's Evidence Response Team. While serving in this capacity, he was involved with evidence collection at the Pentagon following the September 11 attacks.
Mr. Campbell moved into a Supervisory Special Agent position at FBI Headquarters in 1997 where he managed terrorist financing and cyber intrusion investigations. In 2014, he then returned to a field assignment and investigated ATM skimming cases, fraud scams to include romance fraud and business email compromises. He retired from the FBI’s Norfolk, Virginia Field Office in October 2019.
Mr. Campbell earned a Bachelor of Science Degree from Penn State University and pursued a Master’s degree in Business Administration at Millersville University in Pennsylvania. He served three years active duty in the U.S. Army and eight years with the Pennsylvania National Guard as an Intelligence Officer. Mr. Campbell has been married for 27 years and is the father of two teenagers.
April is a radio news anchor and reporter at 102.3 KRMG news and talk station in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She started out as a reporter in television news and has covered crimes like scamming for 20 years. With her experience, she never imagined that her own mother would become the victim of a romance scam. Her mother battled ovarian cancer while April tried to figure out how to stop scammers from taking all of her money. April’s mother sent scammers $350,000 before her death in March of 2020. Advocating Against Romance Scammers was one of the first places she turned to and was able to get answers. She now interviews experts and victims on the Scammer Stories podcast trying to help educate others.
Janice Hart, CA, is a founding board member of AARS and a seasoned director known for her unwavering commitment to advocacy and community impact, principles that guide her distinguished career.
Previously, Janice dedicated eighteen years to juvenile delinquency prevention and intervention before assuming the role of Assistant City Manager for External Programs in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
Currently, Janice serves as the Director of Reputation Management at Electronic
Caregiver, Inc. (ECG), an innovative leader in health technology. ECG specializes in comprehensive healthcare solutions encompassing personal care, security and emergency response, caregiver relief, behavioral health, chronic care management, remote patient monitoring, assistive technologies, and virtual care.
In her capacity at ECG, Janice Hart, CA, is the Director of Reputation Management. She plays a pivotal role as the primary contact for victims of romance scams utilizing her CEO’s images, underscoring her empathy and steadfast dedication to aiding others.
Early in her tenure at ECG, Janice uncovered a network of scammers who had exploited her CEO’s identity. These individuals used his likeness to create fraudulent profiles on social media and dating platforms, deceiving victims both emotionally and financially, resulting in losses exceeding six million dollars from romance scams alone.
Motivated by the plight of these victims, Janice pursued specialized training and
achieved certification from the National Advocates Credentialing Program as a
Credentialed Advocate (CA) at the Intermediate Level, specializing in Identity Theft/Financial Crimes. She remains an active member of the National Organization for
Victim Advocacy.
Janice's commitment to combating online fraud and financial crimes, particularly those affected by romance scams, is unwavering. She is deeply committed to safeguarding her company and its leadership, enhancing public awareness, and providing vital
assistance to victims and potential victims.
Advocating Against Romance Scammers
P.O. Box 6112, Fresno Ca 93701
Copyright © 2016 Advocating Against Romance Scammers - All Rights Reserved.
FEDERAL TAX ID (EIN):85-0518427
EMAIL: aars@advocatingforu.com
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