Showing 233 results

Strategic business movements? The migration of online romance fraudsters from Nigeria to Ghana

Lazarus, S.; Button, M.; Garba, KH.; Soares, AB.; Hughes, M. (2025) — Journal of Economic Criminology

Type: Journal Article Country: United Kingdom

This catalog entry surveys the topic of cross-border movement among actors involved in online romance fraud, focusing on a shift from Nigeria to Ghana. The article situates the phenomenon within the broader field of econ...

The Deceptive Allure: Understanding and Combating Cryptocurrency Pig Butchering Scams

Krause, David (2025) — SSRN Electronic Journal

Type: Journal Article

The Deceptive Allure: Understanding and Combating Cryptocurrency Pig Butchering Scams provides a neutral, catalog-style examination of a form of online fraud that has emerged within cryptocurrency ecosystems. The work de...

The effect of true crime docuseries on romance fraud reporting to the police

Grant, Stephany; Buil-Gil, David (2025) — Crime Science

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

Romance fraud is a crime in which an individual is deceived for financial gain by someone they believe to be a romantic partner. Despite its reach and impact on victims, this form of wrongdoing remains markedly underrepo...

The Gamification of Online Romance Fraud through Offenders’ Cards

Abubakari, Yushawu; Oseh-Ovarah, Valeen (2025) — Digital Threats: Research and Practice

Type: Journal Article Country: Czech Republic Tags: victim experience, psychology, AI misuse, prevention, cross-cultural

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...

The Imperfect ‘Perfect’ Fraudster: Exploring How Vulnerability Framing, Fraudster Identity, and Victim Attachment Shape Financial Risk Perception

Huang, Yidan; Yao, Rui (2025) — European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research

Type: Journal Article Country: Global Tags: romance scam, victim psychology, fraudster identity construction, vulnerability framing, risk perception, attachment avoidance, mixed-methods, deception theory, Romance scam, Fraudster identity, Vulnerability framing, Victim attachment, Risk perception, Impression Management Theory, Interpersonal Deception Theory, Adult Attachment Theory

This catalog-style synopsis describes a scholarly examination of the figure of the “imperfect yet seemingly perfect” fraudster, focusing on how vulnerability framing, fraudster identity, and victim attachment converge to...

The Mental Health Impacts of Internet Scams

Balcombe, Luke (2025) — International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

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

Cyber fraud schemes have grown in sophistication and are increasingly prevalent in affluent countries such as Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Within this landscape, Australia has demonstrate...

The Online Mutual Help Practices of Romance Fraud Victims

Cantin, Pascale-Marie; Ream, Fyscillia; Dupont, Benoît (2025) — Les Presses de l’Université d’Ottawa | University of Ottawa Press eBooks

Type: Book Chapter

This volume examines the online mutual help practices of individuals who have experienced romance fraud. Published by Les Presses de l’Université d’Ottawa (University of Ottawa Press eBooks), it presents a cross‑discipli...

The prevention of online romance scams using a crime script analysis from the victim’s perspective

Wang, Fangzhou; Kelsay, James D (2025) — International Review of Victimology

Type: Journal Article Country: United States Tags: victim experience, offender tactics, platform policy, AI misuse, social engineering, prevention, measurement, cross-cultural

Online romance scams (ORS) have grown in severity, exploiting human vulnerabilities and trust through social engineering, which underscores the need for robust preventive strategies. This study advances the field by deve...

The Role of Online Peer Support Groups in the Recovery of Romance Fraud Victims

(2025) — Innovation in Aging

Type: Journal Article

This piece examines The Role of Online Peer Support Groups in the Recovery of Romance Fraud Victims within the broader context of online fraud and mediated communication. It outlines common patterns documented in the lit...

The Scammers’ Psychological Warfare: A Call to Arms

Hanoch, Yaniv; Wood, Stacey; DeLiema, Marguerite; Han, S. Duke; Lichtenberg, Peter A. (2025) — Psychological Science in the Public Interest

Type: Journal Article Tags: victim experience, psychology, law enforcement, AI misuse, prevention, cross-cultural

Fraud and scams represent some of the most widespread offenses globally, causing substantial emotional, financial, health, and psychological distress to millions each year. Although the scope of the problem is broad, the...

Romance Scam Research Center (RSRC)
1100 W Cherry St
Vermillion, SD 57069
USA

We currently do not provide direct support. If you need immediate help or to report a crime, visit our curated resource list.

Resource List

© 2026 Romance Scam Research Center, a program of the Social Technology and Safety Foundation.