A scoping review of online romance scams: Conceptual construction and comparative analysis
Wang, Fangzhou (2026) — International Review of Victimology
Type: Journal Article
Country: Global
Tags: victim experience, offender tactics, psychology, platform policy, money mules, prevention, scoping review, online romance scams, AFRS, InvRS, pig-butchering, typology, victim vulnerabilities, cross-border policy, PRISMA, cross-language synthesis, victimology, cross-cultural, transnational crime
This scoping review synthesizes findings from a body of 62 empirical investigations to construct a framework that differentiates two primary forms of online romance scams: advance fee romance scams and investment-based r...
Fake it till you make it: the psychological and communication tactics behind “Pig Butchering” scams
Asyalı, Ayşe Nur; Frank, Muriel-Larissa; Hölzmer, Pol (2026) — Journal of Cybersecurity
Type: Journal Article
Country: Global
Tags: victim experience, offender tactics, psychology, AI misuse, social engineering, prevention, Sha Zhu Pan, pig butchering, romance baiting, cybercrime, psychological theories, communication theories, qualitative methods, cryptocurrency investment fraud, pig_butchering, romance_scam, Sha_Zhu_Pan, social_engineering, psychological_theories, communication_theories, scam_manuals
Pig butchering is characterized as an advanced form of cyber-enabled social engineering that blends romantic engagement with investment schemes. While much of the existing scholarship emphasizes the experiences of victim...
Industrialized heartbreak: how generative AI enables romance fraud at scale
Dominguez Castillo, Lorena (2026) — AI and Ethics
Type: Journal Article
Country: Global
Tags: Romance fraud, Generative AI, Deepfake, AI governance, Platform accountability, Technology-facilitated abuse, Sextortion, Cryptocurrency laundering, Online safety, Fraud detection, Deepfakes
Industrialized heartbreak describes a trend in which generative AI tools amplify romance fraud by enabling scalable creation of convincing digital personas and outreach. Proponents and critics alike discuss how text-base...
Love and Technology
Gauci, Christine; Vella, Mary Grace (2026) — The Palgrave Handbook of Global Social Problems
Type: Book Chapter
Country: Global
Tags: romance_fraud, artificial_intelligence, deepfakes, online_dating, digital_literacy, emotional_manipulation, psychological_trauma, financial_fraud, romance fraud, artificial intelligence, online dating, emotional manipulation, digital intimacy, identity deception, psychological trauma, Romance fraud, Artificial intelligence, Deepfakes, Online dating, Emotional manipulation, Digital intimacy, Identity deception, Psychological trauma
Love and technology are presented as a field within a global social problems framework. The volume surveys how digital platforms, algorithmic systems, and connected devices shape intimate life, affection, and partnership...
Pig Butchering Scams as Cyber-Enabled Financial Crime: A Scoping Review of Dimensions, Modus Operandi, and Victim-Offender Dynamics
Gujarathi, Palak; Verma, Shankey; Nair, Vipin Vijay (2026) — Deviant Behavior
Type: Journal Article
Country: Global
Tags: pig butchering, Sha Zhu Pan, cyber-enabled financial crime, scoping review, victim-offender dynamics, crypto laundering, forensic analysis, policy gaps, romance scams, catfishing, crypto fraud, cyber-enabled crime, transnational crime
This piece examines Pig Butchering Scams as Cyber-Enabled Financial Crime: A Scoping Review of Dimensions, Modus Operandi, and Victim-Offender Dynamics within the broader context of online fraud and mediated communicatio...
Practitioner perspectives on what works in preventing fraud against older adults
Button, Mark; Karagiannopoulos, Vasileios; Shepherd, David; Kirby, Annie; Lee, Julak; Suh, Joon Bae; Jung, Jeyong; Koh, Chol Soo (2026) — Journal of Economic Criminology
Type: Journal Article
Country: Global
Tags: fraud prevention, older adults, crime policy, technology tools, education, third-party interventions, banking security, public–private partnerships, third-party intervention, banking fraud, public policy, crime prevention, experts' perceptions
This catalog-style synopsis examines the topic of practitioner perspectives on what works to prevent fraud against older adults, as discussed in the Journal of Economic Criminology. It aggregates viewpoints from professi...
Susceptibility to COVID-19 Scams: The Roles of Age, Individual Difference Measures, and Scam-Related Perceptions
Nolte, Julia; Hanoch, Yaniv; Wood, Stacey; Hengerer, David (2021) — Frontiers in Psychology
Type: Journal Article
Country: Global
Tags: COVID-19 scams, fraud susceptibility, age differences, bullshit receptivity, ad skepticism, impulsivity, risk perception, older adults, victim experience, psychology, AI misuse, risk factors, prevention, measurement
This piece examines Susceptibility to COVID-19 Scams: The Roles of Age, Individual Difference Measures, and Scam-Related Perceptions within the broader context of online fraud and mediated communication. It outlines comm...
Individual differences in susceptibility to online influence: A theoretical review
Williams, Emma J.; Beardmore, Amy; Joinson, Adam N. (2017) — Computers in Human Behavior
Type: Journal Article
Country: Global
Tags: online scams, phishing, social engineering, individual differences, information processing, trust, decision making, risk
This piece examines Individual differences in susceptibility to online influence: A theoretical review within the broader context of online fraud and mediated communication. It outlines common patterns documented in the...
