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Hyperpersonal feedback and online romance fraud: an empirical examination

Wang, Fangzhou ; Dickinson, Timothy (2024) — Journal of Crime and Justice

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DOI: 10.1080/0735648x.2024.2376700 (opens in a new tab)

Type:   Journal Article
Country:   United States
Tags:   Catfishing, Email Experiment, Feedback, Financial Reward, Hyperpersonal Communication, Prevention, Romance Scams, Self Presentation
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Synopsis

            
This randomized experiment used sequential email exchanges with 94 active online romance fraudsters to test how feedback from a fictional target shaped offender communication. Guided by the hyperpersonal model of computer-mediated communication, the researchers varied the potential reward presented by the fictional victim and observed how fraudsters adjusted self-presentation and other message strategies. The analysis found that offender choices were shaped by a feedback loop between their messages and the impressions or rewards signaled by the target. The study provides rare behavioral evidence about reciprocal scammer-target interaction, although exchanges with a controlled fictional persona cannot reproduce every feature of genuine victimization or establish how all offenders behave.

          

        
                  

            
Identified Gaps

            
The paper identifies limited empirical knowledge of how online romance fraud is carried out, especially fraudsters’ communication strategies and the factors shaping them. Before this study, no research had empirically examined how reciprocal feedback between fraudsters and victims facilitates romance fraud within computer-mediated communication.

          

        
                  

            
Methods

            
The researchers conducted a randomized email experiment with 94 active alleged romance fraudsters sourced from Stop-Scammers.com. Fraudsters posing as women were randomly assigned to three conditions involving different levels of promised and actual gift-card reward from a fictional male victim. Sequential standardized emails were coded for five self-presentation strategies and message length. Fisher’s exact tests, chi-square analysis, ANOVA, and Tukey comparisons assessed differences across conditions.

          

        
                  

            
Limitations

            
The authors note possible duplicate email addresses belonging to one person, potentially inaccurate listings on Stop-Scammers.com, and atypical responses if fraudsters viewed the emails as suspicious. Generalizability is unknown because the final sample was small (94 respondents), included only fraudsters presenting as women, and was constrained by time and resources. These limitations restricted available analytical techniques.

          

        
                  

            
Future Work

            
Replicate the experiment with a larger dataset of fraudster–victim conversations and extended contact periods. Use direct interviews with fraudsters to examine how they describe incentives and motivations, then compare interview findings with experimental results. Evaluate platform warnings, awareness campaigns, and victim verification practices as interventions.

          

              

    
    

        
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