Romance Scam Research Center

Are fraud victims nothing more than animals? Critiquing the propagation of “pig butchering” (Sha Zhu Pan, 杀猪盘)

Whittaker, Jack M.; Lazarus, Suleman; Corcoran, Taidgh (2024) — Journal of Economic Criminology

Type: Journal Article Country: United Kingdom

The article explores the growing phenomenon of romance scams as a particularly harmful form of cybercrime that exploits emotional vulnerability for financial gain. The authors position romance scams within the wider land...

Beyond Dollars: Unveiling the Deeper Layers of Online Romance Scams Introducing “Body Scam”

Amirkhani, Sima; Alizadeh, Fatemeh; Randall, Dave; Stevens, Gunnar (2024) — Extended Abstracts of the CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems

Type: Proceedings Article Country: Germany

This piece examines Beyond Dollars: Unveiling the Deeper Layers of Online Romance Scams Introducing “Body Scam” within the broader context of online fraud and mediated communication. It outlines common patterns documente...

Bridging the Protection Gap: Innovative Approaches to Shield Older Adults from AI-Enhanced Scams

Herrera, LD; Van Sickle, London; Podhradsky, Ashley (2024) — 2024 Cyber Awareness and Research Symposium (CARS)

Type: Proceedings Article Country: United States Tags: artificial intelligence, hypothetical case, vingette, defense strategy, future threats, cybercrime, trends, diffusion Of innovation theory, federal trade commission, deepfake

Bridging the Protection Gap: Innovative Approaches to Shield Older Adults from AI-Enhanced Scams is presented as a session at the 2024 Cyber Awareness and Research Symposium (CARS). The catalog entry notes a cross-discip...

Catfishing – jako przejaw przestępstwa kradzieży tożsamości

Gądzik, Zuzanna (2024) — Krytyka Prawa

Type: Journal Article Country: Poland

This piece examines Catfishing as a manifestation of the crime of identity theft within the broader context of online fraud and mediated communication. It outlines common patterns documented in the literature, describes...

Catfishing, Is it Unregulated Crime in Indonesia?

Shaqilla, Nikita; Reda, Yahia (2024) — Neoclassical Legal Review: Journal of Law and Contemporary Issues

Type: Journal Article Country: Indonesia Tags: AI misuse, prevention, cross-cultural

Catfishing is presented as a form of international cybercrime, yet it lacks a clear definition within Indonesia’s national legal framework. The practice involves using false identities on the internet and can be treated...

Crypto Romance Scams and Pig Butchering

Scharfman, Jason (2024) — The Cryptocurrency and Digital Asset Fraud Casebook, Volume II

Type: Book Chapter Country: United States Tags: money mules, AI misuse

This chapter provides a neutral overview of crypto romance scams and pig butchering, placing them within a broader history of online fraud. The opening sections trace the historical thread of romance- and advance-fee sch...

Deconstructing a form of hybrid investment fraud: Examining ‘pig butchering’ in the United States

Maras, Marie-Helen; Ives, Emily R. (2024) — Journal of Economic Criminology

Type: Journal Article Country: United States

This piece examines Deconstructing a form of hybrid investment fraud: Examining ‘pig butchering’ in the United States within the broader context of online fraud and mediated communication. It outlines common patterns doc...

Digital Desires, Real Losses: The Complex World of Online Romance Fraud

Wiederhold, Brenda K. (2024) — Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking

Type: Journal Article Country: United States

This catalog-like overview surveys the constellation of online romance fraud within the domains of cyberpsychology, behavior, and social networking. It locates digital dating as a space where longing for connection can m...

Digital romance fraud targeting unmarried women

Thumboo, Sharen; Mukherjee, Sudeshna (2024) — Discover Global Society

Type: Journal Article Country: India Tags: victim experience, law enforcement, platform policy, AI misuse, prevention Methods: interview, qualitative

This piece examines Digital romance fraud targeting unmarried women within the broader context of online fraud and mediated communication. It outlines common patterns documented in the literature, describes how offenders...

Drawing on social approval as a linguistic strategy: A discourse semantic analysis of judgement evaluation in suspected online romance scammer dating profiles

Lee, KF; Chan, MY; Ali, Afida Mohamad (2024) — Psychology of Language and Communication

Type: Journal Article Country: Malaysia Tags: victim experience, AI misuse, prevention

This study examines the role of social approval as a linguistic resource in the construction of judgement within suspected online romance scammer dating profiles. Located in the field Psychology of Language and Communica...