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Examining fifty cases of convicted online romance fraud offenders

Soares, Adebayo Benedict ; Lazarus, Suleman (2024) — Criminal Justice Studies

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DOI: 10.1080/1478601x.2024.2429088 (opens in a new tab)

Type:   Journal Article
Country:   Nigeria
Tags:   Convicted Offenders, Facebook, Fake Profiles, Impersonation, Nigeria, Romance Scams, Space Transition Theory, Victim Targeting
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Synopsis

            
This study used documentary and content analysis of 50 Economic and Financial Crimes Commission case files ending in romance-scam convictions during 2023-2024 at one Nigerian Zonal Command. Researchers cross-checked offender statements against investigation reports and coded offender, victim, platform, and loss variables. Facebook was the initiating platform in 46% of cases; 70% of offenders primarily targeted women, U.S. victims accounted for 56% of cases, and documented cumulative victim loss was USD 31,488. The case files offer direct information about convicted offenders but not the wider offending population. One regional command, prosecution-oriented records, and selection only of cases producing final convictions limit geographic and behavioral generalization.

          

        
                  

            
Identified Gaps

            
The paper identifies limited direct research on convicted romance-fraud offenders and their motivations, particularly in Nigeria. It also identifies a need to understand regional cybercrime dynamics, female offender participation, gendered victimization, and the role of different social-media platforms in enabling romance fraud.

          

        
                  

            
Methods

            
The study conducted documentary and content analysis of 50 EFCC case files involving final convictions for romance scams from 2023–2024 at one Nigerian Zonal Command. It applied Scott's framework for document analysis, cross-referenced handwritten offender statements against investigation reports, recorded offender and victim variables in Excel, and interpreted findings using Space Transition Theory.

          

        
                  

            
Limitations

            
The sample comprises only 50 convicted offenders from one EFCC Zonal Command in southern Nigeria. Convicted offenders may not represent the broader cybercriminal population, and the location of the source office may bias the reported southern concentration. Case files were created for prosecution rather than research, which may impose contextual limitations.

          

        
                  

            
Future Work

            
Expand samples across multiple EFCC Zonal Commands and regions in Nigeria. Examine how social-media platforms enable different cybercrime methods. Investigate gender dynamics, including female perpetrators and victims, and assess the effectiveness of targeted intervention strategies.

          

              

    
    

        
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