They have their share if scape goaters and confused folks that get involved. Mostly people hear horror stories about any group often started by instigators or smearers. Lots of theists love to portray Scientologists as the great evil. Plenty of theists go on about which other groups are cults or all evil doers. Some have very evil plots and think it's cute. It's estimated that generally around the world 80% of the people we meet aren't going to be trouble.

Here's an example. Scientologists support CCHR. Churches can't directly right now supposedly to separate church from state. One big campaign is to end psychiatry fraud with the Monsanto drug campaign to level everyone and give them drugs that actually maim and kill. So a young woman goes to one of the tamest orgs. She felt quiet and shy and didn't say anything to the greeters. A few approached her and said that she needed to go to a hospital right away for a through check up as she obviously had some serious mental disorder since she didn't say hello.

The presiding Scientologists were not happy about that treatment of the young woman who fortunately got to know the sincere ones. Not sure what happened to the 3 suggesting the hospital. Anyway, a smearer could take something like that throw it in the paper to discredit the entire group. Intentionally slander or not, it doesn't reflect what they really stand for at all. Some of the antics are much worse.

An aunt lives in Tampa and they get smeared loads down there by theists trying to claim they're a great evil taking over. It's more like they're helping end a lot of crime and cooperating with many friendly theists, too.

@WarmFluffy I'm sorry but if you are an apologist for that neo fascist bunch of con man bullies and murderers I would appreciate your not peddling your BS to me, you're obviously utterly brainwashed and terrified of squirrel busters turning up on your doorstep.