Romance Scam Research Center

“Falling into a Black Hole”: A Qualitative Exploration of the Lived Experiences of Cyberscam Victim-Survivors and Their Social Support Networks

Cazanis, Alyxandra; Carminati, Jao-Yue; Chew, Kimberly; Cross, Cassandra; Ponsford, Jennie; Gould, Kate Rachel (2025) — Victims & Offenders

Type: Journal Article Country: Australia

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...

“This is a lifesaver”: co-designing a novel cyberscam psychosocial recovery intervention framework for people with acquired brain injury

Chew, Kimberly Ann; Ponsford, Jennie Louise; Gould, Kate Rachel (2025) — Disability and Rehabilitation

Type: Journal Article Country: Australia

This piece examines “This is a lifesaver”: co-designing a novel cyberscam psychosocial recovery intervention framework for people with acquired brain injury within the broader context of online fraud and mediated communi...

A Juridical Review of Love Scam Crimes from the Perspective of Criminal Law and the Electronic Information and Transactions Law in Indonesia

Adnan, I. (2025) — AL-BALAD : Jurnal Hukum Tata Negara dan Politik Islam

Type: Journal Article Country: Indonesia Tags: psychology, AI misuse

This piece examines TINJAUAN YURIDIS TERHADAP KEJAHATAN LOVE SCAM DALAM PERSPEKTIF HUKUM PIDANA DAN UNDANG UNDANG INFORMASI DAN TRANSAKSI ELEKTRONIK DI INDONESI within the broader context of online fraud and mediated com...

A systematic literature review of profiling victims of cyber scams: setting up a framework for future research

Whitty, MT. (2025) — Cogent Social Sciences

Type: Journal Article Country: United Kingdom

This article presents a systematic literature review (SLR) of research profiling victims of cyber scams, aiming to establish a framework for future studies. The review was motivated by the rapid global growth of cyber sc...

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...

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 Populations: older adults

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...

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...

Impact of Cybersecurity Self-Efficacy on Digital Economic Behaviors Among Older Adults

Kim, Sohee (2025) — INQUIRY: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing

Type: Journal Article Country: South Korea Tags: victim experience, older adults, AI misuse, risk factors, prevention Populations: older adults

This piece examines Impact of Cybersecurity Self-Efficacy on Digital Economic Behaviors Among Older Adults within the broader context of online fraud and mediated communication. It outlines common patterns documented in...

Law Enforcement Against Perpetrators Of Romance Fraud In Cyberspace

Munir, M. (2025) — Proceedings of the First International Cyber Law Conference, ICL-C 2023, 11 November 2023, Jakarta, Indonesia

Type: Proceedings Article Country: Indonesia

This piece examines Law Enforcement Against Perpetrators Of Romance Fraud In Cyberspace within the broader context of online fraud and mediated communication. It outlines common patterns documented in the literature, des...