- Title
- Structural analysis of Online Romance Scams by applying the transtheoretical model in conjunction with the theory of personal love stories
- Creator
- Kopp, Christian
- Date
- 2016
- Type
- Text; Thesis; PhD
- Identifier
- http://researchonline.federation.edu.au/vital/access/HandleResolver/1959.17/158439
- Identifier
- vital:11771
- Identifier
- https://library.federation.edu.au/record=b2687776
- Abstract
- The internet has become an important communications platform which people choose for personal interactions. One of the most popular manifestations is the creation and maintenance of social relationships using social and dating websites. Unscrupulous operators have identified its potential for reaching vulnerable people and have started using it as platform for their criminal activity in the form of so-called Online Romance Scams. Quickly, this cybercrime has become very successful and thus an increasing threat in the social networking environment. The Online Romance Scam causes considerable financial and emotional damage to the victims. In this research we introduce a theory which helps to explain the success of this scam. In a similar way to the “The Nigerian Letter”, we propose that the scam techniques appeal to strong emotions, which are clearly involved in Romantic relationships. We also assume that the same success factors of normal relationships contribute to the success of the Romance Scam. Previous research into normal relationships has identified personal “love stories” as an important factor for the development of relationships. We have suggested that these personal love stories will have a key role in fraudulent relationships. The aim of this research is to explore Online Romance Scams as a type of ‘virtual love’ which initially creates happiness for the victim in a virtual romantic relationship, but tragically then causes the victim to be separated from his or her savings. Using narrative research methodology, this research will establish a model of the Romance Scam structure and its variations regarding human romantic attitudes. During the research program, the analysis of publicly available data from the internet were used, and as a consequence of this, appropriate ethical usage of research data is discussed. Findings of this research will contribute to the knowledge of the Online Romance Scam as significant crime, and provide information about the structure and the development of the modus operandi which can be used to identify an online relationship as a scam at an early phase in order to prevent significant harm to the victim.; Doctor of Philosophy
- Publisher
- Federation University Australia
- Rights
- Copyright Christian Kopp
- Rights
- Open Access
- Rights
- This metadata is freely available under a CCO license
- Subject
- Online romance scams; Personal love stories; Virtual love
- Full Text
- Thesis Supervisor
- Gondal, Iqbal
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