Persuasive Schemes for Financial Exploitation in Online Romance Scam: An Anatomy on <i>Sha Zhu Pan</i> (杀猪盘) <i>in</i> China

Wang, F. ; Zhou, X. (2022) — Victims & Offenders

DOI: 10.1080/15564886.2022.2051109

Synopsis

This catalog-style synopsis surveys persuasive schemes behind Sha Zhu Pan (杀猪盘), the online romance scam phenomenon observed in China that concentrates on financial exploitation. The entry outlines a broad interaction sequence in digital spaces where a cautious relationship is cultivated through sustained communication, emotional rapport, and crafted credibility, followed by the introduction of a financial claim. The analysis emphasizes the rhetoric, relational dynamics, and storytelling devices that sustain trust and plausibility, while avoiding operational detail. Victims are described as participants in intense but often asymmetric relational dynamics, with attention to emotional vulnerability, social isolation, and time-pressure cues that can shape responses to requests for money. The account highlights economic and personal consequences for those involved and notes how platform design, information gaps, and cross-jurisdictional elements can influence detection, reporting, and support mechanisms. The discussion remains descriptive and non-judgmental, acknowledging the role of broader online interaction contexts in shaping vulnerability and response. Offenders are depicted as organized or networked actors who deploy staged identities, credible backstories, and coordinated messaging to sustain deception over time. The synopsis points to patterns such as role specialization, templated communications, and long-running online pseudoscaffolds that bolster credibility, while withholding actionable techniques. Motivations are conveyed in general terms as financial gain within a criminal-justice landscape that includes national and

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