Showing 192 results

An Anatomy of ‘Pig Butchering Scams’: Chinese Victims’ and Police Officers’ Perspectives

Han, Bing; Button, Mark (2025) — Deviant Behavior

Type: Journal Article Country: United Kingdom

This article analyzes the hybrid romance–investment scam known as “pig butchering” (Sha Zhu Pan, 杀猪盘) from the perspectives of Chinese victims and police officers. Unlike traditional romance scams, pig butchering fuse...

An Examination of Digital Validation-Seeking Behaviors in Adolescents as Precursors to Romance Scamming

Ohu, Francis; Jones, Laura (2025) — Scientia Moralitas Conference Proceedings

Country: United States Tags: offender tactics, psychology, AI misuse, risk factors, measurement

This study investigates digital validation-seeking behaviors among adolescents and young adults as precursors to romance scamming. It argues that patterns of deceptive online self-presentation, reinforced by social media...

Analysis of a Cryptocurrency Investment Scam: Pig Butchering

Botha, Johannes George; Singh, Kreaan; Leenen, Louise (2025) — European Conference on Cyber Warfare and Security

Type: Journal Article Country: South Africa Tags: victim experience, platform policy, money mules, AI misuse, offender tactics, social engineering, risk factors, prevention, cross-cultural

This catalog-style synopsis describes a scholarly examination of a cryptocurrency investment scam centered on a trading platform identified as Elite-Bit. The study employs a case-study approach focused on a single victim...

Butcher or be butchered: understanding the unwitting recruitment by cybercrime groups in China

Luo, Qiaoyu; Zhao, Yun (2025) — Trends in Organized Crime

Type: Journal Article Country: China Tags: cybercrime, recruitment, unwitting involvement, cybercrime industrialisation, China, qualitative research, semi-structured interviews, money mules, AI misuse, risk factors

This piece examines Butcher or be butchered: understanding the unwitting recruitment by cybercrime groups in China within the broader context of online fraud and mediated communication. It outlines common patterns docume...

CHAPTER 10 The Online Mutual Help Practices of Romance Fraud Victims

Cantin, Pascale-Marie; Ream, Fyscillia; Dupont, Benoît (2025) — University of Ottawa Press eBooks

Type: Book Chapter

Chapter 10 surveys the online mutual-help practices engaged in by individuals who have experienced romance fraud. Across digital spaces such as forums, social networks, and informal groups, victims connect to share perso...

Digital Deception: Online Fraud Targeting the Elderly – Patterns, Mechanisms, and Policy Responses

Carter, Wendy (2025)

Type: Journal Article Country: Australia Tags: victim experience, psychology, older adults, platform policy, AI misuse, prevention

This piece examines Digital Deception: Online Fraud Targeting the Elderly – Patterns, Mechanisms, and Policy Responses within the broader context of online fraud and mediated communication. It outlines common patterns do...

Does age matter? Examining seniors’ experiences of romance fraud

Cross, Cassandra; Holt, Thomas J. (2025) — Security Journal

Type: Journal Article Country: Australia Tags: victim experience, older adults, AI misuse, risk factors

Romance fraud centers on offenders who present a believable romantic connection to persuade victims to surrender money. Although research on romance deception has expanded, there is limited exploration of how victims’ de...

Educating students on the behavioral and psychological aspects of romance scam victimization via a social engineering competition

Bleiman, Rachel; Park, Hwanhee; Rege, Aunshul (2025) — Journal of Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

Type: Journal Article Tags: victim experience, offender tactics, psychology, platform policy, AI misuse, social engineering

The online dating sector generated 2.98 billion USD in 2023 and is projected to reach about 3.6 billion USD by 2025. Within this space, romance scams impose substantial financial losses, estimated at 1.3 billion USD in 2...

Factors Influencing Involvement in Cyber-Frauds in West Africa and the Implications for Policy

Button, Mark; Lazarus, Suleman; Hock, Branislav; Bugbilla Sabia, James; Pandey, Durgesh; Gilmour, Paul (2025) — European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research

Type: Journal Article Country: United Kingdom Tags: victim experience, law enforcement, platform policy, AI misuse, prevention, measurement

This article examines cyber-frauds and scams as a significant problem linked to West Africa, particularly Nigeria and Ghana, and explores how such activity spreads beyond the perpetrators themselves. Drawing on 36 interv...

Forgiveness-Seeking Behaviors Among Online Romance Fraudsters: Insights from Sakawa Actors in Ghana

Abubakari, Y. (2025) — International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology

Type: Journal Article Country: Poland Tags: victim experience, AI misuse

The study investigates forgiveness-seeking behaviors among online romance scammers operating in Ghana, concentrating on how Sakawa practitioners grapple with moral guilt. By applying Moral Disengagement Theory alongside...

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