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What do we know about online romance fraud studies? A systematic review of the empirical literature (2000 to 2021)

Lazarus, S. ; Whittaker, JM. ; McGuire, MR. ; Platt, L. (2023) — Journal of Economic Criminology

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DOI: 10.1016/j.jeconc.2023.100013 (opens in a new tab)

Type:   Journal Article
Country:   United Kingdom
Tags:   Geographic Bias, Global Bias, Offenders, Online Dating, Online Dating Platforms, Persuasion, Prisma, Romance Scams, Systematic Review, Victims
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Synopsis

            
This PRISMA 2020 systematic review screened 295 records and included 26 English-language empirical studies of online romance fraud published from 2000 through 2021: 13 qualitative, 11 quantitative, and two mixed-methods. Most studies focused on victims; eight examined offenders and fewer studied public perspectives. Victim research was drawn almost entirely from the Global North apart from Malaysia, while direct offender evidence was limited and disproportionately associated with West Africa. The Scammers Persuasive Techniques Model was the dominant framework, but the review also identifies geographic, methodological, and perspective gaps that restrict it and the wider evidence base. English-only, online, peer-reviewed inclusion criteria and small, reused, or homogeneous primary samples further narrow coverage.

          

        
                  

            
Identified Gaps

            
The literature is geographically skewed: victim studies are almost entirely Global North-based except Malaysia, while offender work is concentrated in West Africa. Few studies directly engage offenders; many infer offender perspectives from profiles, messages, adverts, or lyrics. Research is fragmented, theoretically inconsistent, and often treats romance fraud separately from other digital fraud. The dominant persuasive-techniques model is victim-centred, individualized, and gives limited attention to broader social, cultural, and systemic drivers.

          

        
                  

            
Methods

            
PRISMA 2020 systematic review of English-language, online, peer-reviewed empirical studies on online romance fraud published 2000–2021. Searches covered Web of Science, Psych Info, IEEE Digital Library, SAGE, Wiley, Scholastica, and ScienceDirect using romance-fraud-related terms. Two team members independently assessed eligible studies and extracted study characteristics, theoretical perspectives, findings, perpetration methods, and impacts. Of 295 records, 26 empirical studies were included: 13 qualitative, 11 quantitative, and 2 mixed-methods.

          

        
                  

            
Limitations

            
The review excluded non-English, offline-only, non-peer-reviewed, dissertation, preprint, and pre-2000 work, potentially biasing coverage toward countries with English-language online repositories. The reviewed primary literature often relied on small, relatively homogeneous samples, limiting generalizability and reproducibility. Offender evidence commonly came from public online materials rather than direct offender engagement. Some included studies reused data, and offender-focused evidence was disproportionately West African.

          

        
                  

            
Future Work

            
Conduct more direct, in-depth research with offenders and integrate perpetrator and victim perspectives. Use geographically and culturally diverse data to examine romance fraud as regional and global, including under-studied originating areas. Develop stronger, more consistent theory that addresses operational methods, contextual drivers, and cultural factors. Research should support prevention, intervention, and enforcement strategies.

          

              

    
    

        
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