Online frauds: Learning from victims why they fall for these scams
- 28 March 2014
- journal article
- Published by SAGE Publications in Australian & New Zealand Journal of Criminology
- Vol. 47 (3), 391-408
- https://doi.org/10.1177/0004865814521224
Abstract
Online frauds have become a major problem in many countries with millions of victims from a wide diversity of scams committed in full or part online. This paper explores the extent and nature of this problem. Using data from depth interviews with 15 online fraud victims, 6 focus groups with a further 48 online fraud victims and interviews with 9 professional stakeholders involved in combating this problem. The paper explores why victims fall for online scams. It identifies a range of reasons including: the diversity of frauds, small amounts of money sought, authority and legitimacy displayed by scammers, visceral appeals, embarrassing frauds, pressure and coercion, grooming, fraud at a distance and multiple techniques.Keywords
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