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Anatomy of the online dating romance scam

Whitty, MT. (2013) — Security Journal

DOI: 10.1057/sj.2012.57
Type:   Journal Article
Country:   United Kingdom
Tags:   victim experience, psychology, prevention, online dating romance scam, romance fraud, grooming, financial fraud, victim impact, scam stages, money laundering

Synopsis (AI-Generated)

The article synthesised three qualitative studies: 200 posts from a public online support site, 20 in-depth victim interviews lasting 3-5 hours, and a two-hour interview with a UK Serious Organised Crime Agency officer. It compared financial and non-financial victims' accounts with the officer's experience to derive scam stages and trajectories. The study identified five scam stages and four Stage 3 money-request trajectories. Scams began with an attractive profile, followed by grooming, and all identified Stage 3 variations involved requests for money. The analysis is qualitative and based on self-described victims from a public support site, 20 interviewees, and one law-enforcement expert, limiting representativeness.

Identified Gaps (AI-Generated)

The paper identifies a lack of detailed research mapping the anatomy of online dating romance scams. Earlier work is described as only sketching or providing a basic summary. It also notes broader scarcity of research on mass-marketing frauds other than Nigerian advance-fee fraud.

Methods (AI-Generated)

The article synthesised three qualitative studies: 200 posts from a public online support site, 20 in-depth victim interviews lasting 3–5 hours, and a two-hour interview with a UK Serious Organised Crime Agency officer. It compared financial and non-financial victims’ accounts with the officer’s experience to derive scam stages and trajectories. Themes mentioned by fewer than 10% of participants were excluded from results.

Limitations (AI-Generated)

The analysis is qualitative and based on self-described victims from a public support site, 20 interviewees, and one law-enforcement expert, limiting representativeness. Participants were predominantly UK residents and the reported results focus solely on the scam’s anatomy, despite the wider studies addressing victim profiles, persuasion, and psychological impact. Excluding themes reported by fewer than 10% may omit less common tactics or experiences.

Future Work (AI-Generated)

Test whether other mass-marketing frauds share the relationship-building and money-request trajectories identified here. Evaluate whether stage-based warnings, early in-person-meeting advice, and practitioner training help prevent losses or improve victim support.

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AI-Generated Content Notice

The synopsis and research notes on this page were generated with AI from available publication information and, when available, the uploaded paper text. They may contain errors, omissions, or interpretation issues. Readers should follow the DOI or source link, review the original publication, and make their own judgment about the content.

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