Romance Scam Research Center

More Than Just a “Bad” Online Experience: Risk Factors and Characteristics of Catfishing Fraud Victimization

Snyder, Jamie A.; Golladay, Katelyn (2024) — Deviant Behavior

Type: Journal Article Country: United States

This study examines the relatively underexplored area of catfishing victimization—cases where individuals are deceived online but not necessarily defrauded financially. Using survey data from 1,511 social media and datin...

Relationship fraud: Romance, friendship and family frauds

Button, Mark; Carter, Elisabeth (2024) — Journal of Economic Criminology

Type: Journal Article Country: United Kingdom

Relationship fraud refers to intentional deception in which trust within intimate or interpersonal ties—romance, friendship, and family relationships—is exploited to obtain money, property, or other benefits. The topic c...

Romance Scamming: Uncovering the Transnational Crime and Legal Challenges

Rabby, F.; Chowdory, MMU. (2024) — International Journal of Law and Societal Studies

Type: Journal Article Country: Bangladesh Tags: victim experience, law enforcement, AI misuse, cross-cultural Methods: interview, qualitative

This piece examines Romance Scamming: Uncovering the Transnational Crime and Legal Challenges within the broader context of online fraud and mediated communication. It outlines common patterns documented in the literatur...

Scammed by Love: The Role of Loneliness, Trust, and Age in Financial Losses from U.S. Online Romance Scams

Cole, R. (2024) — Innovation in Aging

Type: Journal Article Country: United States Tags: victim experience, older adults, AI misuse, measurement, cross-cultural Populations: older adults Methods: survey, quantitative

This piece examines SCAMMED BY LOVE: THE ROLE OF LONELINESS, TRUST, AND AGE IN FINANCIAL LOSSES FROM U.S. ONLINE ROMANCE SCAMS within the broader context of online fraud and mediated communication. It outlines common pat...

The charade of discreetness: Exploring the paradoxical lifestyles of romance fraudsters

Barnor, J. (2024) — Journal of Investigative Psychology and Offender Profiling

Type: Journal Article Country: Ghana Tags: law enforcement, AI misuse, prevention, measurement Methods: interview, qualitative

This article investigates the mechanisms that shape why romance fraud perpetrators publicly display wealth, a line of inquiry that has received limited attention in prior research. The study gathered data through semi-st...

The dark side of Artificial Intelligence – Risks arising in dating applications

Fletcher, Rachel; Tzani, Calli; Ioannou, Maria (2024) — Assessment and Development Matters

Type: Journal Article Country: United Kingdom Tags: victim experience, AI misuse, online dating platforms

This piece examines The dark side of Artificial Intelligence – Risks arising in dating applications within the broader context of online fraud and mediated communication. It outlines common patterns documented in the lit...

The Frames of Romance Scamming

Faber, P. (2024) — Research in Language

Type: Journal Article Country: Spain Tags: victim experience, offender tactics, AI misuse

This study analyzes love fraud, or romance scamming, as a form of scripted interaction conducted within a commercial transaction frame. The core participants are the seller, identified as the fraudster, and the buyer, wh...

The Language of Romance Crimes

Carter, E. (2024) — The Language of Romance Crimes

Type: Journal Article Country: United Kingdom

Within Cambridge Core's Law: General Interest collection, The Language of Romance Crimes surveys how legal discourse encodes offenses that unfold in the context of intimate relationships. The work examines the vocabulary...

The victimology of online fraud: A focus on romance fraud victimisation

Drew, JM.; Webster, J. (2024) — Journal of Economic Criminology

Type: Journal Article Country: Australia

This article provides a catalog-style overview of victimology in online fraud, with a focus on romance fraud victimisation. Situating online scams within the broader field of economic criminology, the work outlines how v...

Understanding Cybercrime in Developing Economies: Insights from Agona Swedru, Ghana

Obeng, Charles; Kumah, Paul Kwasi; Asiedu, Hubert Bimpeh; Obeng Senior, Felix Awuah (2024) — E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences

Type: Journal Article Country: Ghana Tags: offender tactics, AI misuse, measurement Methods: survey, quantitative

This study aims to assess how widespread cybercrime is in Agona Swedru and to identify the main factors that drive individuals toward such activity. A cross-sectional, quantitative survey was conducted with 397 participa...