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Online love fraud and the experiences of indonesian women: a qualitative study

Niman, Susanti ; Parulian, Tina Shinta ; Rothhaar, Timothy (2023) — International Journal of Public Health Science (IJPHS)

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DOI: 10.11591/ijphs.v12i3.22617 (opens in a new tab)

Type:   Journal Article
Country:   Indonesia
Tags:   AI-Enabled Fraud, Financial Loss, Indonesian Women, Mental Health Intervention, Offender Tactics, Platform Policy, Psychosocial Impacts, Qualitative Phenomenology, Romance Scams, Sexual Image Threats, Victim Experience
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Synopsis

            
This publication presents a qualitative, phenomenological examination of Indonesian women who experienced online love fraud. It aims to illuminate the psychosocial impact of such scams on victims, focusing on how deception and coercive requests for money and intimate images affect their mental health, self-view, and social standing. The study gathers first-person narratives through semi-structured interviews conducted via video chat, analyzing the transcripts to identify recurring experiences and emotional responses described by participants. Across the narratives, the authors report a cluster of interrelated psychosocial responses associated with online love fraud. Victims describe shock at discovering they were deceived, followed by sadness, anger, and episodes of low self-esteem linked to loss of money and personal images. Anxiety arises from threats to reveal intimate materials or to disrupt family and work life, and some participants recount suicidal thoughts as a possible consequence of the abuse and social blame. The discussion connects these experiences to broader themes of love, vulnerability, and gendered expectations, and it concludes that professional mental health support and social assistance are needed to aid recovery. The authors also suggest policy and practice implications for addressing cybercrime harms and supporting victims, while calling for further inquiry into effective mental health interventions.

          

        
                  

            
Identified Gaps

            
The paper identifies limited research on love-scam victims' experiences and argues that victims in Indonesia receive insufficient attention and empathy. It supplies qualitative evidence of psychosocial effects, but leaves the effectiveness of mental health interventions for this population untested.

          

        
                  

            
Methods

            
This qualitative hermeneutic phenomenology study used purposive sampling to recruit 12 Indonesian women who had experienced financial loss from online love fraud and sought help from an anti-scam community. Researchers conducted 60–90 minute recorded video-call semi-structured interviews, transcribed them verbatim, and iteratively read, coded, and organized accounts into themes.

          

        
                  

            
Limitations

            
The study's purposive sample was limited to 12 women aged 25–45 who had sought assistance from an anti-scam community. Findings therefore reflect a small, help-seeking Indonesian female survivor group and may not represent male victims, victims who do not seek support, or other settings. The supplied text does not report a comparative group or outcome evaluation.

          

        
                  

            
Future Work

            
Evaluate whether mental health interventions improve the psychological well-being of online love-scam victims. Research could also assess how professional mental health care, psychotherapy, family support, group support, and community support contribute to recovery.

          

              

    
    

        
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