Showing 15 results

Fake it till you make it: the psychological and communication tactics behind “Pig Butchering” scams

Asyalı, Ayşe Nur; Frank, Muriel-Larissa; Hölzmer, Pol (2026) — Journal of Cybersecurity

Type: Journal Article Country: Global Tags: victim experience, offender tactics, psychology, AI misuse, social engineering, prevention, Sha Zhu Pan, pig butchering, romance baiting, cybercrime, psychological theories, communication theories, qualitative methods, cryptocurrency investment fraud, pig_butchering, romance_scam, Sha_Zhu_Pan, social_engineering, psychological_theories, communication_theories, scam_manuals

Pig butchering is characterized as an advanced form of cyber-enabled social engineering that blends romantic engagement with investment schemes. While much of the existing scholarship emphasizes the experiences of victim...

Romance Scam Reporting and Support: Help-Seeking Timing, Trust, and Escalation

Herrera, LD (2026) — 2026 14th International Symposium on Digital Forensics and Security (ISDFS)

Type: Proceedings Article Country: United States Tags: romance scams, online fraud, cybercrime reporting, victim support, incident response, digital forensics

Built on social engineering and identity deception, romance scams often create financial loss and distress. For victims, it can be difficult to know where to go, what information is needed, and what outcomes are realisti...

Educating students on the behavioral and psychological aspects of romance scam victimization via a social engineering competition

Bleiman, Rachel; Park, Hwanhee; Rege, Aunshul (2025) — Journal of Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

Type: Journal Article Tags: victim experience, offender tactics, psychology, platform policy, AI misuse, social engineering

The online dating sector generated 2.98 billion USD in 2023 and is projected to reach about 3.6 billion USD by 2025. Within this space, romance scams impose substantial financial losses, estimated at 1.3 billion USD in 2...

Leveraging Naive Bayesian Machine Learning for Detecting Pig Butchering Scams: A Cybersecurity Social Engineering Perspective in Africa

Diallo, Ousmane; Hassan, Hasnani; Najeeb Zaidan, Muslim (2025) — The 5th International Scientific Conference on Administrative and Financial Sciences (CIC-ISCAFS'2025)

Type: Proceedings Article Country: Malaysia Tags: victim experience, psychology, AI misuse, social engineering, prevention, measurement

This piece examines Leveraging Naive Bayesian Machine Learning for Detecting Pig Butchering Scams: A Cybersecurity Social Engineering Perspective in Africa within the broader context of online fraud and mediated communic...

The prevention of online romance scams using a crime script analysis from the victim’s perspective

Wang, Fangzhou; Kelsay, James D (2025) — International Review of Victimology

Type: Journal Article Country: United States Tags: victim experience, offender tactics, platform policy, AI misuse, social engineering, prevention, measurement, cross-cultural

Online romance scams (ORS) have grown in severity, exploiting human vulnerabilities and trust through social engineering, which underscores the need for robust preventive strategies. This study advances the field by deve...

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, AI-enhanced scams, older adults, romance scam, tech support scam, defensive strategies, scam components, case analysis, policy implications

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...

Connecting Chinese and American Scam Victims

Reiter, Jonathan; Team, Bitrace (2024) — SSRN Electronic Journal

Type: Journal Article Country: Global Tags: pig_butchering, romance_scam, cryptocurrency, on_chain_analysis, money_laundering, cross_border_scams, forensic_analysis, exchanges, pig-butchering, romance scam, on-chain analysis, money laundering, cross-border, forensic-research

Connecting Chinese and American Scam Victims examines how fraud experiences are shaped by cross-cultural and cross-border contexts, focusing on victimization in two national settings. The work surveys how digital platfor...

Crypto-Cognitive Exploitation: Integrating Cognitive, Social, and Technological perspectives on cryptocurrency fraud

Perdana, Arif; Jhee Jiow, Hee (2024) — Telematics and Informatics

Type: Journal Article Country: Global Tags: cryptocurrency fraud, cognitive vulnerability, social engineering, romance scams, pig butchering, DeFi scams, regulatory strategies, text analytics

Crypto-Cognitive Exploitation offers a catalog-style synthesis of how fraud in cryptocurrency environments emerges from the interplay of cognitive processes, social dynamics, and technological infrastructures. The volume...

Pig Butchering in Cybersecurity: A Modern Social Engineering Threat

L. Burton, Dr. Sharon; D. (Vickerson) Moore, Dr. Pamela (2024) — SocioEconomic Challenges

Type: Journal Article Country: United States Tags: victim experience, psychology, law enforcement, platform policy, AI misuse, online dating platforms, social engineering, risk factors, prevention, measurement, cross-cultural

Pig butchering represents an expanding cybersecurity threat that relies on social engineering to establish trust and execute financial fraud. The relevance of this issue lies in the growing frequency and sophistication o...

Romance Scam as one of the main Challenges of cybercrime

Khukhunaishvili, Dina (2024)

Type: Article

Romance scams are a form of cybercrime in which a perpetrator cultivates a personal relationship with a target through online platforms, with the aim of financial gain or theft of sensitive information. The pattern typic...

Romance Scam Research Center (RSRC)
1100 W Cherry St
Vermillion, SD 57069
USA

We currently do not provide direct support. If you need immediate help or to report a crime, visit our curated resource list.

Resource List

© 2026 Romance Scam Research Center, a program of the Social Technology and Safety Foundation.