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Love scam as the art of manipulation through Instagram in Indonesia

Roro Retno Wulan ; Dyah Ayu Wiwid Sintowoko ; Intan Putri Cahyani ; Nur Sabariah (2026) — Cogent Arts & Humanities 13(1), 2620235

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DOI: 10.1080/23311983.2026.2620235 (opens in a new tab)

Country:   Indonesia
Tags:   Digital Literacy, Emotional Manipulation, Gender Stigma, Indonesia, Instagram, Love Scams, Romance Scams, Women Victims
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Synopsis

            
This study examines love scams on Instagram in Indonesia, focusing on how perpetrators manipulate women financially and emotionally. Using a critical discourse approach, the authors analyze the Instagram direct-message exchanges of four women in Bandung who had been deceived or manipulated, with data collected from late 2022 through early 2023. The goal is to illuminate the gendered dynamics and cultural contexts that shape vulnerability to online romance fraud, rather than to quantify prevalence or identify universal tactics. The authors identify three interconnected channels of manipulation: (1) manipulative language and narrative patterns used to establish trust and intimacy, including religious greetings and promises of marriage or a better life; (2) psychological manipulation that exploits emotional vulnerability and social stigma, producing anxiety, guilt, and dependence; and (3) cultural background influences that align scammers with traditional masculine and romantic ideals, leveraging Indonesian norms around gender roles. They describe a four-item framework of scammer presentation in victims’ accounts: stated residential location, claimed occupation, reported luxuries or lifestyle, and minimal personal information in posts. A recurring pattern involves “Cinderella Syndrome,” wherein victims’ desires for an ideal partner render them more susceptible to scammers who project wealth, status, and relational security. The study notes that such scams disproportionately affect single women, with consequences including financial loss and mental distress, compounded by stigma and shame. Limitations acknowledged include a small, non-generalizable sample. The authors advocate for enhanced digital literacy, education, and stigma reduction to empower women and reduce susceptibility to love scams on social media platforms.

          

        
                  

            
Identified Gaps

            
The paper identifies a significant lack of research on Instagram as a manipulative tool in Indonesian love scams. It also identifies a need to examine specific linguistic and rhetorical manipulation strategies and to connect social-network-site affordances with scammers' granular psychological tactics.

          

        
                  

            
Methods

            
The study used Feminist Critical Discourse Analysis and Standpoint theory. Fieldwork in Bandung, Indonesia, from October 2022 to February 2023 involved four women who had experienced love scams or romantic manipulation. Primary data were participant narratives and Instagram direct-message conversations. The researchers also interviewed people close to participants and used source triangulation to corroborate accounts.

          

        
                  

            
Limitations

            
The authors state that the study is highly specific and cannot be generalized because of its exceptionally small sample. The sample comprised four women recruited through a victim-support community in Bandung, limiting representativeness and the ability to establish broader prevalence or causal patterns.

          

        
                  

            
Future Work

            
Conduct larger, widely disseminated research on online romance fraud, including quantitative studies of cultural expectations such as Cinderella Syndrome. Evaluate digital-literacy and gender-focused awareness approaches for Indonesian women. Examine how Instagram and other platforms can better protect users and limit scammers' access to potential victims.

          

              

    
    

        
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