Romance Scam Research Center

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...

Fraud as Legitimate Retribution for Colonial Injustice: Neutralization Techniques in Interviews with Police and Online Romance Fraud Offenders

Lazarus, S.; Hughes, M.; Button, M.; Garba, KH. (2025) — Deviant Behavior

Type: Journal Article Country: United Kingdom

This catalog-style study investigates the rhetorical framing surrounding fraud as a form of legitimate retribution for colonial injustice. The analysis situates online romance fraud and related encounters with law enforc...

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...

Love as Bait: A Scoping Review and Crime Script Analysis of Online Romance Scams

Schokkenbroek, JM.; Snaphaan, T. (2025) — Trauma, Violence, & Abuse

Type: Journal Article Country: Netherlands Tags: victim experience, offender tactics, platform policy, AI misuse, prevention

This piece examines Love as Bait: A Scoping Review and Crime Script Analysis of Online Romance Scams within the broader context of online fraud and mediated communication. It outlines common patterns documented in the li...

Love Scamming in the Digital Era: Legal Protection and Challenges in Handling Love Scam Cases on Dating Applications in Indonesia

Soleha Liliani Malik; Fakhris Lutfianto Hapsoro (2025) — AT-TAKLIM: Jurnal Pendidikan Multidisiplin

Type: Journal Article Country: Indonesia Tags: victim experience, psychology, AI misuse, online dating platforms, prevention

This article investigates the regulatory landscape surrounding cyber-enabled romance fraud carried out through social media platforms in Indonesia. Love scams have risen as a notable problem, especially among younger adu...

Love, Lies, and Larceny: One Hundred Convicted Case Files of Cybercriminals with Eighty Involving Online Romance Fraud

Soares, AB.; Lazarus, S.; Button, M. (2025) — Deviant Behavior

Type: Journal Article Country: Nigeria

This article analyzes 100 convicted cybercrime case files prosecuted by Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, with 80 cases involving online romance fraud. Many offenders engaged in multiple offenses, inclu...

Mental Health Impacts of Cybercrime

Burrell, Darrell (2025) — International Conference on Cyber Warfare and Security

Type: Journal Article Country: United States Tags: victim experience, psychology, platform policy, money mules, prevention, measurement

As online dating continues to evolve, deceptive practices have grown in breadth and sophistication, spanning from classic catfishing to more systemic forms such as pig-butchering and Intimacy Manipulated Fraud Industrial...

Modus Operandi and Blockchain Analysis of Romance Scams: Cryptocurrency-Driven Victimization

Lim, A.; Choi, KS. (2025) — International Journal of Cybersecurity Intelligence & Cybercrime

Type: Journal Article Country: United States

This piece examines Modus Operandi and Blockchain Analysis of Romance Scams: Cryptocurrency-Driven Victimization within the broader context of online fraud and mediated communication. It outlines common patterns document...

Multimodal anti fraud education improves cognitive emotional and behavioral engagement in older adults

Zhou, Yan-Bang; Bu, Ya-Ru; Bao, Qing; Zhao, Hong-Jin (2025) — Scientific Reports

Type: Journal Article Country: China

This catalog-style synopsis summarizes a study reported in Scientific Reports that examines an educational program aimed at reducing fraud vulnerability among older adults. The program is described as multimodal, utilizi...