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Cybercrime over Internet Love Scams in Malaysia: A Discussion on the Theoretical Perspectives, Connecting Factors and Keys to the Problem

Hamsi, Ahmad Safwan ; Bahry, Farrah Diana Saiful ; Tobi, Siti Noraini Mohd ; Masrom, Maslin (2015) — Journal of Management Research

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DOI: 10.5296/jmr.v7i2.6938 (opens in a new tab)

Type:   Journal Article
Country:   Malaysia
Tags:   Cybercrime, Cyberlaw, Ethical Theory, Internet Love Scams, Malaysia, Online Dating, Prevention, Romance Scams
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Synopsis

            
This publication investigates Internet love scams in Malaysia, aiming to understand the ethical and social dynamics that drive the crime and to discuss potential responses. It frames the issue through four theoretical lenses—Kantianism, act and rule utilitarianism, and social contract theory—as a means to assess the morality and legality of love scammers’ actions. The study also maps practical causes and facilitating conditions, including victims’ vulnerabilities, the expansion of ICT use, and cross-border criminal networks. The authors identify several interconnecting factors that may enable the crime. They discuss abuse of student visas to recruit scammers, weaknesses in the banking system that ease identity theft and international transfers, and the need for updated cyber laws to address evolving cyber offenses. They also review the role of dating-match sites, online social networks, and chatrooms as venues where scams originate, offering precautionary steps for individuals and cautions for platform operators. The analysis extends to governance issues, suggesting greater governmental involvement in controlling or monitoring online spaces to reduce opportunities for fraud. In terms of implications and remedies, the paper proposes a collaborative framework involving embassies, national police, and immigration authorities, along with biometrics-based fraud defenses and strengthened cyber legislation. It emphasizes individual vigilance and preventive measures for online dating interactions. The authors acknowledge the challenges of enforcement and resource limits, and they call for regular updates to laws and ongoing cooperation among international and national actors to curb Internet love scams. The discussion remains grounded in the cited theoretical perspectives and regional context.

          

        
                  

            
Identified Gaps

            
The paper notes limited scholarly evidence directly linking love scams to African or Nigerian offenders, despite arrest reports in Malaysia. More broadly, the article offers a conceptual ethical discussion and policy framework rather than systematic evidence testing the proposed causal factors, victim vulnerabilities, or intervention effectiveness.

          

        
                  

            
Methods

            
This is a conceptual, literature-based discussion focused on Malaysia. It synthesizes cited crime statistics, media-reported case examples, prior literature, and cyberlaw material. Internet love scams are interpreted through Kantianism, act and rule utilitarianism, and social contract theory, then linked to proposed factors and prevention responses.

          

        
                  

            
Limitations

            
The article does not report an original empirical study, sampling strategy, data-collection procedure, or analytic protocol. Its claims rely substantially on cited literature, news reports, illustrative cases, and normative ethical reasoning. Several proposed causes and solutions are presented without outcome evaluation, and the paper itself acknowledges limited direct scholarly evidence for claims concerning African or Nigerian offenders.

          

        
                  

            
Future Work

            
Future research should empirically test the proposed interconnecting-factors-and-solutions framework, including the roles of visa oversight, banking controls, platform warnings, and legal enforcement. Research should also examine offender networks and victim experiences without relying on unsupported nationality-based assumptions.

          

              

    
    

        
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