Editor's note: The Lovefraud reader "Seekeroflight" sends us the following story related to her almost being dragged into a cult. In Lovefraud's view, cult leaders are sociopaths on steroids, and engage in mind control over cult members. There is a story from my past that I've wanted to share somewhere publicly, and I am thinking this might be a good place to do so. It doesn't deal with a sociopath directly, but it is a type of situation that those of us vulnerable to sociopaths also may be vulnerable to. I certainly was. It also deals with a specific group which is incredibly dangerous, but of whom there is almost zero knowledge of within the United States even though they are practically …
Mission almost impossible: Finding mass shooters before they kill
It's become all too familiar all of a sudden, someone opens fire on people who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. In the aftermath, the question is asked: Didn't anyone know that the shooter was disturbed? Sometimes, unfortunately, the answer is no. Matthew Goldenberg, assistant professor of psychiatry at the Yale University School of Medicine, explains why it's so hard to identify potential mass murderers. Can we pick out the mass shooters before they kill? on LATimes.com. A guide to mass shootings in America, on MotherJones.com. …
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Do narcissists make better presidents?
In a recent article in the New York Times, Scott O. Lilienfeld (president of the Society for the Scientific Study of Psychopathy) and Ashley L. Watts discussed their research into presidential narcissism and success in office. They estimated the narcissism levels of all United States presidents, up to George W. Bush. The two highest scorers on "grandiose narcissism" were Theodore Roosevelt and Lyndon B. Johnson.They correlated presidential narcissism with surveys of presidential performance developed by historians. The result of the study: "Grandiose narcissism" was associated with overall presidential success, but also with unethical behaviors. The Narcissist in Chief, on NYTimes.com. Link …
History buff believes Philadelphia serial killer may have been Jack the Ripper
H. H. Holmes killed at least 27 people and possibly many more before he was hanged in a Philadelphia prison in 1896, according to a story in the Philadelphia Inquirer. Before coming to Philadelphia, Holmes built a hotel in Chicago now known as "The Murder Castle." It was equipped with secret tunnels and staircases, gas chambers and more devices for torture and death. Mark Potts, a history buff from Berks County, Pennsylvania, speculates that Holmes may have also been "Jack the Ripper," who murdered five prostitutes in London in 1888. Was Phila. killer Jack the Ripper? on Philly.com. …
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How to protect yourself online
The Internet is now an integral part of our lives, so it's important to know how to protect ourselves online. The U.S.government has created a great website, OnGuardOnline.gov, with all kinds of information on exactly how to do that. Lovefraud strongly recommends that you take a look at it watch the videos and read some articles with great tips for staying safe. Here are a few good ones: Common online scams Computer security Using IP cameras safely Resource provided by a Lovefraud reader …
My new heroes: Ashley Madison cheating site hackers
AshleyMadison.com, a dating website for married cheaters, has been hacked. The website's slogan is, “Life is short. Have an affair.” Now, the personal details of 37 million members, including nude photos and sexual fantasies, have been compromised. This is a moral dilemma for me. Of course, hacking a website is criminal. But as far as I'm concerned, all of those cheaters are getting what they deserve. The hackers, a person or group calling itself the “Impact Team,” has demanded that the website owner, a company called Avid Life Media, take down Ashley Madison (AM), and another hookup site that it owns called Established Men (EM) and Cougar Life. Here's the statement from the Impact Team: …
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FBI asks for help in finding 240 teen sextortion victims of Lucas Michael Chansler
[youtube_sc url="https://youtu.be/ixAYkkub4Pw"] Lucas Michael Chansler threatened and blackmailed 350 teenaged girls into sending them explicit images of themselves, eventually collecting 80,000 images and videos of child pornography. Chansler, 31, of Julington Creek, Florida, pretended to be a 15-year-old skateboarding boy when the contacted the girls. He is now serving 105 years in a federal prison for his crimes. But many of his victims remain unidentified. So the FBI is asking the public's help in identifying additional victims. His screen names included "HELLOthere" and "goodlookingguy313." If you have information that may help identify victims of Lucas Chansler or believe you may have b …
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BOOK REVIEW: The Inner World of the Psychopath
As you read the list of key symptoms of a psychopath, you feel like you've been punched in the gut. Check, check, check the individual who has been making you crazy has all, or almost of all, of the traits. In shock, you realize that you have a psychopath in your life. You've seen the individual's glib and superficial charm, lack of empathy, lack of remorse. You knew he or she was deceitful, but now you suspect that every statement this person ever made may have been a lie. “How can he do that?” you ask. “What was she thinking?” Steve Becker, LCSW, a longtime Lovefraud author, has just come out with a book that explains what goes on in the mind of a psychopath. It's called, The Inner World of …
Reader spots Red Flags of Love Fraud in a woman he meets on a dating site
Lovefraud received the following email from a reader whom we'll call “Evan.” I'm coming to Lovefraud again because I'm pretty sure I have just met another sociopath through a religious online dating website. She seems too good to be true, so I think she is ... I'm just wondering what the best way to end the very short relationship would be. Red Flag Reminders: Charisma and Charm Sudden Soulmates Sexual magnetism Love bombing Blames others for everything Lies and gaps in the story Intense eye contact Moves fast to hook up Pity play Jekyll and Hyde personality Facts: - I contacted her via the dating website on Monday (4 days ago she already wants to meet and has told me what feels like too ma …
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What makes a psychopath, and why they don’t change
America's attention in recent weeks was focused on the Hollywood-worthy escape from prison by two convicted murderers Richard Matt and David Sweat. Matt is now dead. Sweat was shot, captured, and is now under guard at the Albany Medical Center in Albany, New York. The media have referred to both of these men a psychopaths. Looking at their crimes, I agree. Sweat was convicted of murdering Kevin Tarsia, Broome County Sheriff's Deputy, in 2002. But he didn't just shoot the sheriff. Sweat ambushed Tarsia in a town park, shot him multiple times and then ran him over with a car. Here's the story: David Sweat's brutal path to prison, on PressConnects.com. Richard Matt had a lifelong history …