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 multifaceted exploration of romance scam scripts : A Comparison of Two Methods of Analysis

Kim, B.; Suh, J.; Park, A. (2025) — Korean Police Studies Review

Type: Journal Article Country: South Korea

The paper compares stage models of romance scams from Whitty (2013) and Kim & Seo (2019). It finds a structured progression: offender approach, trust-building, escalating money requests, and coercion, with repeat psychol...

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...

Analysis of a Cryptocurrency Investment Scam: Pig Butchering

Botha, JG.; Singh, K.; Leenen, L. (2025) — European Conference on Cyber Warfare and Security

Type: Journal Article Country: South Africa Tags: victim experience, platform policy, money mules, AI misuse Methods: case study

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...

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

Carter, Wendy (2025)

Type: 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...

Does age matter? Examining seniors’ experiences of romance fraud

Cross, C.; Holt, TJ. (2025) — Security Journal

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

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...