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Using financial intelligence to target online fraud victimisation: applying a tertiary prevention perspective

Cross, Cassandra (2016) — Criminal Justice Studies

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DOI: 10.1080/1478601x.2016.1170278 (opens in a new tab)

Type:   Journal Article
Country:   Australia
Tags:   Australia, Financial Intelligence, Online Fraud, Repeat Victimization, Romance Scams, Tertiary Prevention, Warning Letters
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Synopsis

            
This article examines how Australia has deployed a victim-oriented, tertiary prevention approach to online fraud by using financial intelligence to identify potential victims and then directly informing them through targeted letters. The author frames this practice within crime prevention theory, arguing that focusing on known victims and intervening early can reduce repeat victimisation and associated harms, rather than relying on traditional reactive policing. Cross presents three Australian case studies—Project Sunbird, Operation Disrepair, and the National Scams Disruption Project (NSDP)—to illustrate how letters to suspected victims were used as an intervention. Reported data show substantial volumes of funds moved overseas prior to intervention and indicate that a large share of recipients who received a first or second letter reduced or ceased sending money in subsequent weeks or months. Across the programs, preliminary observations suggest a reduction in the number of active senders and in total losses, though the author notes limitations: the data are not uniform across jurisdictions, no direct causal link is proven between letter receipt and behavior change, and longer-term effects remain uncertain. The article concludes that while not definitive, these programs offer a plausible foundation for tertiary prevention in online fraud and warrant further rigorous study to clarify the relationship between intervention and victim behaviour. It emphasizes that recognizing online fraud as a global problem requires innovative, victim-centered strategies alongside traditional enforcement.

          

        
                  

            
Identified Gaps

            
The causal relationship between receiving a warning letter and stopping or reducing transfers remains unknown. Monitoring periods and targeted countries differ across programs, limiting comparison. Evidence is needed on whether West African transaction indicators generalize across jurisdictions and on suitable interventions for chronic, heavily involved victims.

          

        
                  

            
Methods

            
This article presents three Australian case studies—Project Sunbird, Operation Disrepair, and the National Scams Disruption Project. It situates financial-intelligence-led victim notification within tertiary crime prevention theory and descriptively compares administrative program data on letters, international transfers, and post-letter sending behavior.

          

        
                  

            
Limitations

            
The study does not establish that letters caused reduced transfers. Programs monitored recipients over different periods and countries, making data non-comparable. Apparent effects are agency assumptions partly supported by victim anecdotes, rather than rigorous causal evaluation. The small sample of 94 confirmed victims used for destination-country analysis was non-representative.

          

        
                  

            
Future Work

            
Use more rigorous research to test whether letters directly change victims' subsequent money transfers. Replicate and compare results across jurisdictions to assess whether the selected West African countries are appropriate indicators of extended victimization. Develop and evaluate interventions for chronic victims, for whom letters may be ineffective.

          

              

    
    

        
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