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Research updates

New Library records and the latest accepted explanation for each Research Insight, in one place.

Library dates show when RSRC added a record, not when the work was published. An explanation date marks an accepted editorial change; it does not necessarily mean new research was added. Routine metadata checks and unfinished drafts stay out of this list.

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  1. · Accepted reader explanation

    How romance scammers exploit trust

    Romance scammers can use emergencies or supposed investments to extract money, and some use romantic promises to obtain sexual contact or imagery. Reported cases also involve physical coercion. These studies describe tactics without establishing how common each pathway is or whether awareness lessons prevent harm.

  2. · Accepted reader explanation

    How scammers turn closeness into pressure

    Scammers can make sending money or complying with sexual demands feel like protecting a relationship and a shared future. Grooming develops closeness that can later be exploited. Studies describe these tactics, but limited direct investigation leaves uncertainty about which approaches lead people to comply.

  3. · Accepted reader explanation

    Why people get drawn into romance scams

    Scammers can exploit a person’s need for connection, tailor their attention, and make a fraudulent relationship difficult to leave. Research links several emotional and personality characteristics with victimization, but it does not establish a reliable checklist for identifying who will be deceived.

  4. · Accepted reader explanation

    What technology changes in romance scams

    Scammers can use AI-generated identities to make deception harder to check, while investigators use software to flag suspicious material. But the studies reviewed here do not establish that these tools reduce victims’ losses, and how widely scammers use generative AI remains unknown.

  5. · Accepted reader explanation

    What can romance-scam prevention achieve?

    Participants rated a romance-scam learning tool favorably, and monitored transfers decreased after warning letters. These findings show how people rated a tool and how payments changed after contact—not that either approach prevented financial loss.

  6. · Accepted reader explanation

    From scam reports to enforcement

    Platforms can remove scam accounts, researchers can trace transactions, and police can pursue offenders across borders. But removing a profile, identifying a money trail, and securing a conviction are different achievements. The research reviewed here documents enforcement activity without establishing which responses reliably reduce romance-scam losses.

  7. · Accepted reader explanation

    Who experiences romance scams?

    Women and middle-aged adults appear frequently in studied romance-scam reports, but other samples contain many men and younger adults. The evidence does not establish a single victim profile: which scam researchers count, who reports it, and whether they measure contact or financial loss all change the picture.

  8. · Accepted reader explanation

    What romance scams take beyond money

    People deceived by a supposed romantic partner can lose money, a valued relationship, and a sense of safety. A study of scams aimed at sexual access also describes sexual violence. Harm can occur without a financial loss, but these studies do not establish how often each consequence occurs across all victims.

  9. · Accepted reader explanation

    Why romance scams can be hard to report

    People targeted by romance scams may struggle to find help. In some settings, disclosing an intimate relationship can also expose them to punishment or reveal their sexual identity. Research describes these barriers but cannot establish how often victims report worldwide.

  10. · Added to Library

    Gefährliche Liebe: Die KESB im Kampf gegen Romance Scam

    Approved publication added to the Library. This date is when RSRC added the record, not the work’s publication date.

  11. · Added to Library

    Gay Dating Platforms, Crimes, and Harms in India: New Directions for Research and Theory

    Approved publication added to the Library. This date is when RSRC added the record, not the work’s publication date.

  12. · Added to Library

    Cyber-enabled imposter scams against older adults in the United States

    Approved publication added to the Library. This date is when RSRC added the record, not the work’s publication date.

  13. · Added to Library

    Space transition theory and its empirical applications in cybercrime research: a PRISMA-guided systematic review (2007 to 2025)

    Approved publication added to the Library. This date is when RSRC added the record, not the work’s publication date.

  14. · Added to Library

    The personal_relationship frame in love fraud

    Approved publication added to the Library. This date is when RSRC added the record, not the work’s publication date.

  15. · Added to Library

    "Society Encourages the Killing of Girls Like Me": Layers of Victimization in Online Dating Romance Scams in Iran That Target Sexual Access Over Financial Gain

    Approved publication added to the Library. This date is when RSRC added the record, not the work’s publication date.

  16. · Added to Library

    Dating deception: Gender, online dating, and exaggerated self-presentation

    Approved publication added to the Library. This date is when RSRC added the record, not the work’s publication date.

  17. · Added to Library

    Catfishing: A Look into Online Dating and Impersonation

    Approved publication added to the Library. This date is when RSRC added the record, not the work’s publication date.

  18. · Added to Library

    Identifying risky Internet use: Associating negative online experience with specific online behaviours

    Approved publication added to the Library. This date is when RSRC added the record, not the work’s publication date.

  19. · Added to Library

    Romance fraud in India: A qualitative study of online–offline transitions in the digital dating ecosystem

    Approved publication added to the Library. This date is when RSRC added the record, not the work’s publication date.

  20. · Accepted reader explanation

    Recovering after a romance scam

    Romance-scam survivors describe persistent distress and lost trust; broader cyberscam research also describes practical needs, such as help contacting banks and police. Supportive conversations and peer contact can feel helpful, but the research reviewed here does not establish which services produce lasting recovery.