Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

"I Made A Choice": Exploring The Persuasion Tactics Used By Online Romance Scammers In Light Of Cialdini's Compliance Principles, Aaron K. Archer

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

Online romance scams cause a disproportionately high amount of loss to victims when compared to other cybercrimes, and evidence suggests these scams may be more pervasive than official figures indicate. Unlike some other cybercrimes, an online romance scam is only successful to the extent that the scammer can persuade the victim to carry out requests. In his book, Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, psychologist Robert Cialdini has identified six psychological principles often exploited by those seeking to gain the compliance of others; these principles may provide a good framework for understanding the effectiveness of the tactics used by online romance …