The study seeks to illuminate the causes and effects of fear of victimization from online romance scams, treating it as a form of psychological stress that matters for both individuals who date online and the platforms t...
“Falling into a Black Hole”: A Qualitative Exploration of the Lived Experiences of Cyberscam Victim-Survivors and Their Social Support Networks
This study investigates the lived experiences of cyberscam victim-survivors and their friends and family members, highlighting vulnerabilities, impacts, and support needs. Although cyberscams affect millions globally, ex...
Catfishing: a conduta de assumir uma identidade falsa nas plataformas de mídia social e suas consequências jurídico-penais
Almeida, Paulo Henrique Carvalho; Costa, Sebastião Patrício Mendes da (2025) — Opinión Jurídica
Type: Journal Article
Country: Brazil
Tags: AI misuse
The central objective of the work is to examine the legal issues associated with the use of fake profiles on social media platforms, in order to determine whether such conduct constitutes a criminal offense under Brazili...
Love Scam as a Manifestation of Online Gender-Based Violence: Aligning Legislation to Ensure Victim Protection
Maulidia Mulyani (2025) — Istinbath : Jurnal Hukum
Type: Journal Article
Country: Indonesia
Tags: victim experience, psychology, AI misuse, measurement
Methods: interview, content analysis, secondary data, qualitative
Love scams have emerged as a notable form of gender-based violence within Indonesia’s digital sphere, drawing attention to harms that extend beyond financial loss to include psychological distress. This article seeks to...
Recognizing the Evolving Cybercrime Threats in South Africa
Mpuru, Lebogang; Kgoale, Charles (2025) — African Security
Type: Journal Article
Country: South Africa
This article investigates recent cybercrime trends in South Africa (2019–2023) and highlights the persistent threats facing the country’s economy and financial markets. Using a systematic literature review organized thro...
The Gamification of Online Romance Fraud Through Offenders’ Cards
Abubakari, Yushawu; Oseh-Ovarah, Valeen (2025) — Digital Threats: Research and Practice
This study addresses the persistence of online romance fraud in Ghana and treats offenders as strategic players within a game-theoretic framework. By viewing fraudulent encounters as a strategic contest, the researchers...
A qualitative investigation of the emotional, physiological, financial, and legal consequences of online romance scams in the United States
Cole, R. (2024) — Journal of Economic Criminology
Type: Journal Article
Country: United States
This catalog-style study provides a qualitative examination of the consequences associated with online romance scams in the United States, emphasizing emotional, physiological, financial, and legal dimensions. Situated w...
Addressing Cyberscams and Acquired Brain Injury (“I Desperately Need to Know What to Do”): Qualitative Exploration of Clinicians’ and Service Providers’ Perspectives
Chew, Kimberly Ann; Ponsford, Jennie; Gould, Kate Rachel (2024) — Journal of Medical Internet Research
Type: Journal Article
Country: Australia
Tags: victim experience, psychology, AI misuse, prevention
Methods: interview
Acquired brain injury can heighten susceptibility to scams due to ongoing cognitive and psychosocial changes following injury. Cyberscams produce financial harm alongside debilitating psychological effects such as shame...
Kebijakan Hukum dalam Pemberantasan Pelaku Online Romance Fraud di Ruang Maya
Fikri, Ahmad Ma'mun (2024) — JCIC : Jurnal CIC Lembaga Riset dan Konsultan Sosial
Type: Journal Article
Country: Indonesia
Tags: law enforcement, platform policy, AI misuse, measurement, cross-cultural
Methods: survey, interview, secondary data, qualitative
Online romance fraud represents a category of cybercrime that exploits emotional manipulation to extract financial resources or secure personal information. The conduct has grown alongside rising internet penetration in...
Pig Butchering in Cybersecurity: A Modern Social Engineering Threat
L. Burton, Dr. Sharon; D. (Vickerson) Moore, Dr. Pamela (2024) — SocioEconomic Challenges
Type: Journal Article
Country: United States
Tags: victim experience, psychology, law enforcement, platform policy, AI misuse, online dating platforms, social engineering, risk factors, prevention, measurement, cross-cultural
Methods: interview, qualitative
Pig butchering represents an expanding cybersecurity threat that relies on social engineering to establish trust and execute financial fraud. The relevance of this issue lies in the growing frequency and sophistication o...
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