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...

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...

Factors Influencing Involvement in Cyber-Frauds in West Africa and the Implications for Policy

Button, Mark; Lazarus, Suleman; Hock, Branislav; Bugbilla Sabia, James; Pandey, Durgesh; Gilmour, Paul (2025) — European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research

Type: Journal Article Country: United Kingdom Tags: victim experience, law enforcement, platform policy, AI misuse, prevention, measurement Methods: interview

This article examines cyber-frauds and scams as a significant problem linked to West Africa, particularly Nigeria and Ghana, and explores how such activity spreads beyond the perpetrators themselves. Drawing on 36 interv...

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

Lazarus, Suleman; Hughes, Mariata; Button, Mark; Garba, Kaina Habila (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...

The Gamification of Online Romance Fraud Through Offenders’ Cards

Abubakari, Yushawu; Oseh-Ovarah, Valeen (2025) — Digital Threats: Research and Practice

Type: Journal Article Country: Czech Republic Tags: victim experience, psychology, AI misuse, prevention, cross-cultural Methods: interview

This study addresses the persistence of online romance fraud in Ghana and treats offenders as strategic players within a game-theoretic framework. By viewing fraudulent encounters as a strategic contest, the researchers...

“Why did I fall for it?” Exploring internet fraud susceptibility in the pig butchering scam

Xie, Ziyi; Duan, Zhizhuang (2024) — Security Journal

Type: Journal Article Country: China Tags: victim experience, platform policy, prevention Methods: interview

Pig butchering scam, known also as Sha Zhu Pan or 杀猪盘, represents a contemporary form of online fraud that initially targeted Asian victims. With the expansion of Southeast Asian fraud networks, the scheme has achieve...

Addressing Cyberscams and Acquired Brain Injury (“I Desperately Need to Know What to Do”): Qualitative Exploration of Clinicians’ and Service Providers’ Perspectives

Chew, Kimberly Ann; Ponsford, Jennie; Gould, Kate Rachel (2024) — Journal of Medical Internet Research

Type: Journal Article Country: Australia Tags: victim experience, psychology, AI misuse, prevention Methods: interview

Acquired brain injury can heighten susceptibility to scams due to ongoing cognitive and psychosocial changes following injury. Cyberscams produce financial harm alongside debilitating psychological effects such as shame...

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...

Analysis of the Romance Scam Phenomenon in Interpersonal Communication of Love Scammer & Victim

Nomleni, KEJ. (2023) — Jurnal Communio : Jurnal Jurusan Ilmu Komunikasi

Type: Journal Article Country: Indonesia Tags: victim experience, AI misuse, online dating platforms Methods: interview

In line with the progress of the times, online interaction has become a real part of the dynamics of romantic relationships. This phenomenon brings various impacts: some relationships continue to the stage of marriage, b...

The Transformation of LGBTQ+ Relationships in Turkey from Digital Dating to Digital Violence

Gümüş, Burcu (2023) — Journal of Family Violence

Type: Journal Article Country: Turkey

This study explores how dating apps both enable and endanger LGBTQ+ individuals in Turkey, focusing on how relationships initiated online can lead to violence. While digital matchmaking offers opportunities for LGBTQ+ pe...