Skip to main content

The wisdom of the scammed: redefining older fraud victim support by utilizing the ecological systems framework

Katalin Parti ; Faika Tahir ; Pamela B. Teaster (2025) — Security Journal

Citation activity

Total citations · Google Scholar
Unavailable
Average per calendar year
Citation count unavailable

Counts reflect Google Scholar’s coverage and do not measure research quality. Source, calculation and limitations

View Original Source (opens in a new tab)

DOI: 10.1057/s41284-025-00487-z (opens in a new tab)

Country:   United States
Tags:   Digital Literacy, Ecological Systems Framework, Older Adults, Online Fraud, Reporting Support, Scam Victimization, Social Isolation, Victim Blaming
What do these research terms mean?
Preprint
A manuscript shared before formal peer review and publication. Check whether a later published version is available.
Dataset
A collection of data or examples for others to inspect or reuse. It can appear in Library search and topic mapping, but RSRC does not use dataset records as evidence in Research Insights.
Dissertation or thesis
Research submitted for an academic degree. This describes its format, not its reliability.
Journal article
An article published in a journal. This label alone does not establish peer review, study quality, or how well the findings apply elsewhere.
Qualitative research
Examines experiences, meanings, or processes, often through interviews or observations. It can explain how something happens without estimating how common it is.
Quantitative research
Uses numerical measurements to describe patterns or test relationships. A relationship between two measurements does not by itself show that one causes the other.
Systematic review
Uses a planned, documented method to find and assess research addressing a question. Its conclusions still depend on the included studies and what the search covered.
Meta-analysis
Statistically combines results from multiple studies. Combining studies does not remove weaknesses in their design or make unlike populations interchangeable.
Not classified
This record has no recognized label in this filter. It does not mean the publication used no method, or that no research exists.

Definitions draw on DataCite resource types; Cochrane review methods; NLM: association and causation. RSRC’s dataset and classification rules are explained in our methodology.

Citation tools
Download RIS Download BibTeX 


              
              

            

          

        


      

      

    

        
Transparency

        
Evidence and review status

        
This page contains AI-generated content. No human content review or subject-matter-expert review is recorded.

    


    

                    

                
Source basis

                

                    Downloaded PDF
                

            

                    

                
Source updates

                

                    No notice found at last check
                

            

                    

                
AI-generated page content

                

                    Yes
                

            

                    

                
Automated checks

                

                    Passed
                

            

                    

                
Administrative approval

                

                    Yes
                

            

                    

                
Human content review

                

                    Not recorded
                

            

                    

                
Subject-matter-expert review

                

                    Not recorded
                

            

            


    

        
            How this was prepared
        
        

                            

                    
Source basis

                    

                    
RSRC downloaded and privately stored a copy of the paper for internal analysis. The PDF is not offered to viewers from this page.


                                            
    
                                                            
  • 
                                    PDF added to RSRC:
                                    
                                
    • 
                                                    

                    
                                        

                

                            

                    
Source updates

                    

                    
No incoming update notice was found in the dated Crossref response. Coverage is incomplete, particularly for corrections and expressions of concern; this is not a guarantee that the source is valid or unchanged.


                                            
    
                                                            
  • 
                                    Last source-status attempt:
                                    
                                
    • 
                                                    

                    
                                        

                

                            

                    
AI-generated page content

                    

                    
AI-generated research notes displayed on this page: Synopsis, Identified gaps, Methods, Limitations, Future work. The paper itself is not described as AI-generated.


                                            
    
                                                            
  • 
                                    Document analysis recorded:
                                    
                                
    • 
                                                            
  • 
                                    Synopsis generation recorded:
                                    
                                
    • 
                                                            
  • 
                                    Page record updated:
                                    
                                
    • 
                                                    

                    
                                        

                

                            

                    
Automated checks

                    

                    
The current, source-bound synopsis passed the recorded versioned publication checks.


                                            
    
                                                            
  • 
                                    Checks completed:
                                    
                                
    • 
                                                    

                    
                                            

                            
                                View passed checks (3)
                            
                            
    
                                                                    
  • Length, completeness, repetition, refusal, boilerplate, and active-markup screening
    • 
                                                                    
  • Numerical claims checked against the available source text
    • 
                                                                    
  • English-source lexical grounding check
    • 
                                                            

                        

                                        

                

                            

                    
Administrative approval

                    

                    
An authenticated administrator approved the bibliographic record for public Library display. This is not a review of every research claim.


                                            
    
                                                            
  • 
                                    Approved for public display:
                                    
                                
    • 
                                                    

                    
                                        

                

                            

                    
Human content review

                    

                    
No human review is recorded for the AI-generated content displayed on this page.


                    
                                        

                

                            

                    
Subject-matter-expert review

                    

                    
RSRC has not recorded review of this content by a subject-matter or methods expert.


                    
                                        

                

                    

    


    

        Review-state definitions

        Found a possible error?
        Request a correction.
    



    



              

        
                  

            
Synopsis

            
The article examines cyber fraud against older adults through the Bioecological Systems Framework, arguing that victimization emerges from interactions across personal, relational, community, and societal contexts. Based on semi-structured interviews with 19 scam victims aged 60 and above, the study situates individual experiences within microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, macrosystem, and chronosystem dynamics to identify why even highly educated, computer-literate older adults can be targeted by sophisticated online schemes. The authors note that older victims often reported high levels of education and digital skills, yet faced serious financial and emotional harm, underscoring the evolving sophistication of scammers and the limits of technical proficiency as a sole defense. Key findings identify two core microsystem vulnerabilities: aloneness and overtrust. Isolation and a desire for companionship can increase susceptibility, while strong family ties and timely, personalized support help victims recognize red flags and resolve incidents with less financial impact. The chronosystem highlights generational differences in trust toward phones and online interfaces, with older adults more likely to rely on traditional communications and thus vulnerable to phone-based and impersonation scams. Mesosystem and macro-level factors reveal that reporting pathways are often opaque, awareness campaigns can be jargon-laden, and stigma or self-blame hinders disclosure. Policy implications advocate a victim-centered, multi-layered response that engages older adults, families, service providers, financial institutions, and law enforcement within a coordinated ecosystem. The authors call for participatory, community-based interventions aligned with BESF, emphasizing direct involvement of those affected and a shift away from blaming individuals toward systemic prevention and support. The study notes limitations including a Virginia-only sample and exploratory, non-generalizable aims.

          

        
                  

            
Identified Gaps

            
The paper identifies limited direct research with older scam victims, particularly because of underreporting, reluctance to share experiences, and inaccessibility. It states that no prior research had applied the Bioecological Systems Framework to scams against older adults by strangers, and that prior work emphasized personal or microsystem factors more than meso-, macro-, and chronosystem influences.

          

        
                  

            
Methods

            
Exploratory qualitative research used interpretive phenomenological analysis and semi-structured interviews with 19 scam victims aged 60 or older in Virginia. Participants were recruited through an AARP survey, senior facilities, local outreach, and snowball referrals. Recorded interviews were transcribed, line-by-line coded in Atlas.ti, and thematically analyzed using Braun and Clarke's stepwise method; multiple team members coded and discussed themes.

          

        
                  

            
Limitations

            
The study is limited to victims living in Virginia and does not examine racial, gender, or socioeconomic differences beyond age and scam victimization. Its small exploratory sample may produce response bias and is not generalizable. Recruitment also excluded people without internet access at the interview period, limiting participation by socioeconomically disadvantaged older adults.

          

        
                  

            
Future Work

            
Recruit less-heard older scam victims, including people with socioeconomic disadvantages and those without internet access. Conduct follow-up studies with larger, more representative samples to test whether the exploratory patterns generalize. Use participatory action research involving directly and indirectly affected people to identify needs and shape programs.

          

              

    
    

        
Related Research Insights

        

            See how this publication connects to RSRC's living evidence syntheses through current citations and research-topic mapping.