Digital Commons Network^™

Vishing And Smishing Perpetrators And Their Victims In Nigerian Slums, Lateef J. Adeyemo, Tirimisiyu Y. Olabulo, Idenyi G. Peter

International Journal of Cybersecurity Intelligence & Cybercrime

This study investigates the personal accounts of both perpetrators and victims to better understand the techniques and strategies used in vishing and smishing schemes. It adopts a qualitative cross-sectional design across three Lagos slums (Ajegunle, Amukoko, and Ijora-Badia), using snowball sampling to recruit 20 victims and 10 perpetrators for in-depth interviews. Findings reveal that perpetrators impersonate trusted entities using low-tech tools (pre-registered SIMs, bulk SMS apps) to exploit trust. Selective morality emerges among offenders, with some repaying known victims due to guilt while exploiting strangers, alongside a mentorship culture where experienced scammers train newcomers. Poverty and peer influence normalize the …

The Under-Prosecution Of White-Collar Crime, Joseph Whalen

Honors Program

White-collar crime comprises nonviolent, financially motivated offenses by individuals and corporate entities. The social costs are immense, yet the prosecution of such crimes is comparatively small compared to other forms of non-violent crime, often resolving with opaque settlements rather than prosecution. This study examines why under-prosecution is so prevalent in white-collar crime, how it undermines democratic trust, and what reforms could be implemented to improve accountability. Under-prosecution will be operationalized through a mixed-methods design, accounting for the most observable proxies. First, the share of filings involving white-collar offenses; second, the prevalence of deferred or non-prosecution agreements (hereinafter referred to as …

Older Adults And Financial Exploitation, Aaron Li, Natalie Galucia, Cal J. Halvorsen

Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging

The National Adult Protective Services Association defines elder financial exploitation as misuse, mishandling, or exploitation of an older adult’s property, possession, or assets. These actions often occur without consent and are typically carried out through false pretense, undue influence, coercion, or manipulation.

Using Gamification To Teach Cybersecurity In A Social Science Course: An Experience Paper, Roderick Graham, Medina Williams

Journal of Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

Meta-reviews of gamification suggest that gamifying course instruction can positively impact learners' behaviors and attitudes, leading to improved learning outcomes. However, there is a lack of literature relaying concrete experiences with developing and deploying gamified content. This experience paper contributes to filling that gap by describing the deployment of gamified instruction to students enrolled in a mid-level university social science course. These experiences are organized around four more or less chronological questions the project team needed to answer: (1) why gamify – or what is the rationale for undertaking such an endeavor, (2) what content should be gamified, (3) what …

Cybercrime As A Threat To The Banking Sector: A Perspective From Commercial Banks In Bangladesh, Hasibul Hossain, Rezaul Karim Shohag, Nikhil Chandra Nath, Sushmita Das Dalia

International Journal of Cybersecurity Intelligence & Cybercrime

Cyber and technology related crimes are gradually increasing all over the world due to rapid transitions and transactions in the digital world and cyberspace. Cyber related threats are increasingly becoming universal, multi-faceted, sophisticated and transnational in this tech-driven age. Governments, law enforcement agencies, IT professionals, scholars, and researchers worldwide have been concerned about digital deviance and crime. The transition to this widespread cybercrime is particularly difficult for developing countries. Recently, the banking sectors in Bangladesh have seen the emerging threats to its system and reserves through cyberspace, e. g. cyber-attacks or taking illegal access. Cybercrime is becoming a threat to …

I Love You, But I’Ve Got To Cancel You: Psychological Determinants And Consequences Of Cancel Culture Participation, Rebecca Tukachinsky Forster, Daniel H. Spitz

Communication Faculty Articles and Research

This study explores how individuals react to celebrities who take a political stance that contradicts and threatens their social identity. An online experiment examines these questions in the context of the Israeli war against Hamas in the wake of the October 7 terror attack. Israeli Jewish participants who were led to believe that a beloved celebrity fully embraced the Palestinian’s narrative and condemned Israel experienced more negative and less positive emotions and had a greater intention to cancel the celebrity. However, writing a comment or a social media post (particularly if the comment bashed the celebrity) partially buffered these emotional …

News Mediated Reporting And Governmental Narratives About The Enforcement Of Elite Criminality: Exploring The Social Construction Of Financial Frauds And Discrepancies In Punishment, Dominic J. Zicari

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines how financial crime enforcement decisions are socially constructed through a qualitative content analysis of news articles and government communications pertaining to two specific cases: the Enron scandal of 2001 and the subprime mortgage crisis of 2008. The study was guided by a theoretical framework that utilizes Barak’s (2017) theory of state-routinized crime control. The rigorous analysis of 394 news articles and government communication documents revealed that the media and the state rarely framed the subprime mortgage crisis as a criminal issue. Although the Enron scandal was frequently described as financial crime, journalists and government communicators were often …

The Swiping Desire: Intimacy, Libidinal Capitalism, And The Digital Subject In The Tinder Swindler, Chanif Ainun Naim

Masyarakat: Jurnal Sosiologi

This article examines how dating applications operate as libidinal infrastructures that restructure and commodify intimacy within platform capitalism, using The Tinder Swindler as a cultural case study. Employing a visual-narrative approach within the framework of Critical Discourse Analysis, the film is analyzed to reveal the structural exploitation of user affect and desire. Grounded in Lacanian psychoanalysis and Baudrillard’s simulation theory, the study argues that these platforms capitalize on the subject’s ontological lack (manque) which fuels desire as the desire for the Other’s desire. This psychic lack sustains a perpetual pursuit of recognition that can never be fulfilled. The swindler’s hyper-curated …

Profiling Cybercriminals: Behavioral Analysis And Motivations Behind Cybercrime Activities, A'Shya Latrice Reynolds

Cybersecurity Undergraduate Research Showcase

The study of cybercriminal behavior and motivations is crucial for understanding and combating the evolving landscape of digital crime. This paper delves into the intricate realm of cybercrime profiling, employing a multidisciplinary approach to dissect the behavioral patterns and underlying motivations of cybercriminals. Drawing from psychology, sociology, and criminology, the research examines the intricate interplay of individual traits, social dynamics, and technological factors that shape cybercriminal activities.

Through analysis of case studies and research, this paper uncovers the diverse range of motivations driving individuals towards engaging in cybercrime. From financial gain and ideological extremism to thrill-seeking and revenge, cybercriminals exhibit …

Exploring The Nexus Of Cybercrime, Money Laundering, Ethics And Deterrence In The Age Of Smart Machines, Leila Halawi, Robert Bacon

Publications

As societies transitioned from the industrial era to the post-knowledge age, marked by the widespread adoption of artificial intelligence (AI), the volume and accessibility of information experienced unprecedented growth. This transformation led to the ‘AI Age,’ where smart machines became paramount. Simultaneously, it marked an era of innovation and automation, promising greater efficiency and presenting novel challenges. In this dynamic landscape, cybercrime found fertile ground to evolve and adapt. It expanded its scope from early computer intrusions to many activities, from data breaches and ransomware attacks to identity theft and financial fraud. Money laundering, too, evolved in tandem, capitalizing on …

U.S. Online Romance Scams: A Mixed Methods Analysis Of Factors Associated With Victimization And Exploration Of Lived Experiences Of Victimization, Rebecca A. Cole

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

The objective of this dissertation is to understand develop an understanding of experiences of online romance scam¹(ORS) victimization and to examine factors associated with ORS victimization. The dissertation samples ORS victims and uses purposive sampling strategies to recruit participants. The research used a mixed methods explanatory design approach. Inclusion criteria included ORS victims 18 and older who lived in the U.S., lost any amount of money in ORS scam, and met the scammer on any Internet platform. Three research manuscripts complete this dissertation. The first manuscript is a scoping review to understand the mental and physical health outcomes …

Advance Fee Fraud On The Increase: The Shield Of Support Over The Victims, Ovenseri Ven Ogbebor

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This research study addresses the activities of Advance Fee Fraudsters whose activities sometimes impact the status and life of their victims. Research to date appears to have focused on crime, Advance Fee Fraud, and its techniques. The intent of this study is to take the reader through the various types of Advance Fee Fraud (AFF) with special attention to how the victims may get help, an aspect of AFF that has been greatly neglected by previous researchers who mainly focus on the techniques and modus operandi of the fraudsters. Until recently, the concept of AFF was limitedly known, but with …

Victimization By Deepfake In The Metaverse: Building A Practical Management Framework, Julia Stavola, Kyung-Shick Choi

International Journal of Cybersecurity Intelligence & Cybercrime

Deepfake is digitally altered media aimed to deceive online users for political favor, monetary gain, extortion, and more. Deepfakes are the prevalent issues of impersonation, privacy, and fake news that cause substantial damage to individuals, groups, and organizations. The metaverse is an emerging 3-dimensional virtual platform led by AI and blockchain technology where users freely interact with each other. The purpose of this study is to identify the use of illicit deep fakes which can potentially contribute to cybercrime victimization in the metaverse. The data will be derived from expert interviews (n=8) and online open sources to design a framework …

"The Call Is Coming From Inside The House": Tracing Experiences In The Institutionally-Centered Process Of Establishing Limited Conservatorships In California, Barbara Alison Imle

Dissertations and Theses

In this institutional ethnography, multiple methods are used to explore California’s process of establishing limited conservatorships, which are legal proceedings that limit or terminate civil rights of people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD). This research uses observations of 93 conservatorship hearings, 16 interviews with people involved in the conservatorship process, and an analysis of over 40 documents related to these legal proceedings. These data are used to answer two questions: 1) what is the process of establishing a limited conservatorship in California; and 2) how is this process experienced by those involved?

Findings break down a complex process and …

“Elder Scam” Risk Profiles: Individual And Situational Factors Of Younger And Older Age Groups’ Fraud Victimization, Katalin Parti

International Journal of Cybersecurity Intelligence & Cybercrime

In an attempt to understand how differently fraud works depending on a victim’s age, we have examined the effects of situational (lifestyle-routine activities), self-control, and sociodemographic variables on scam victimization across age groups. The analysis was carried out on a national sample of 2,558 Americans, representative by age, sex, and race, and includes additional factors such as their education, living arrangement, employment, and propensity for reporting a crime or asking for help. The results substantiate research findings of the contribution of self-control and LRAT in predicting victimization in general but could not identify major situational and individual differences between older …

Dynamics Of Dark Web Financial Marketplaces: An Exploratory Study Of Underground Fraud And Scam Business, Bo Ra Jung, Kyung-Shick Choi, Claire Seungeun Lee

International Journal of Cybersecurity Intelligence & Cybercrime

The number of Dark Web financial marketplaces where Dark Web users and sellers actively trade illegal goods and services anonymously has been growing exponentially in recent years. The Dark Web has expanded illegal activities via selling various illicit products, from hacked credit cards to stolen crypto accounts. This study aims to delineate the characteristics of the Dark Web financial market and its scams. Data were derived from leading Dark Web financial websites, including Hidden Wiki, Onion List, and Dark Web Wiki, using Dark Web search engines. The study combines statistical analysis with thematic analysis of Dark Web content. Offering promotions …

Impact Of Internal Control On Fraud In Ghana’S Cap 30 Pension Payment, David Annan-Bonny

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Pensions Ordinance No. 42 of 1950 (Pensions Act 1950), coded as the Cap 30 pension system, provides for pensions, gratuities, and other allowances for public servants. But despite internal controls, Ghana’s Cap 30 pension payment system continues to suffer from corruption. The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of internal controls on fraud in the payment of Cap 30 pension gratuities and allowances at the national treasury in Ghana as well as the factors that inhibit the effective application of internal controls in the processing, computation, and payment of Cap 30 pension gratuities and allowances. The …

Hong Kong Youngsters Pursuing Career In The Greater Bay Area : Opportunities And Challenges, King Leung Cheng

SOC 605 Comparative Social Policy Research Project - Student Works

In the past two years, Hong Kong has undergone tremendous changes in its internal and external environments. Under the influence of social movements, Sino-US trade negotiations, pandemic and the global economic downturn, Hong Kong's local economy continues to be sluggish. The number of unemployed continues to rise, and the youth unemployment rate is much higher than that of other age groups. To get out of adversity, the younger generation needs diversified development, and the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area might just open up a new path for them.

Based on existing evidence, this study discusses Hong Kong …

Book Review: Computer Capers: Tales Of Electronic Thievery, Embezzlement, And Fraud. By Thomas Whiteside, Brian Nussbaum

International Journal of Cybersecurity Intelligence & Cybercrime

No abstract provided.

Reducing Payment-Card Fraud, Chares R. Ross

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Critical public data in the United States are vulnerable to theft, creating severe financial and legal implications for payment-card acceptors. When security analysts and managers who work for payment card processing organizations implement strategies to reduce or eliminate payment-card fraud, they protect their organizations, consumers, and the local and national economy. Grounded in Cressey’s fraud theory, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore strategies business owners and card processors use to reduce or eliminate payment-card fraud. The participants were 3 data security analysts and 1 manager working for an international payment card processing organization with 10 …

แบบจำลองการคาดคะเนปัจจัยที่เป็นข้อบ่งชี้ลักษณะอาชญากรรมลูกผสมในสังคมไทย, ดิเรกฤทธิ์ บุษยธนากรณ์

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

การวิจัยเรื่อง แบบจำลองการคาดคะเนปัจจัยที่เป็นข้อบ่งชี้ลักษณะอาชญากรรมลูกผสมในสังคมไทย มีวัตถุประสงค์ในการวิจัยเพื่อ (1) ศึกษาปัญหาอาชญากรรมลูกผสมที่เป็นปัญหาสำคัญในสังคมไทย (2) สร้างแบบจำลองการคาดคะเนปัจจัยที่เป็นข้อบ่งชี้ลักษณะอาชญากรรมลูกผสมที่ใช้ในการจำแนก และอธิบายความสัมพันธ์และ/หรือหลักฐานในการยอมรับว่าเป็นอาชญากรรมลูกผสมในสังคมไทย และ (3) ศึกษาแนวทางในการป้องกันและแก้ไขปัญหาอาชญากรรมลูกผสมในสังคมไทย ผู้วิจัยใช้ระเบียบวิธีวิจัยแบบผสมผสานของการวิจัยเชิงปริมาณและเชิงคุณภาพ โดยเน้นการวิจัยเชิงปริมาณเป็นหลักสำคัญจากเจ้าหน้าที่ผู้ปฏิบัติงาน สำนักงานตำรวจแห่งชาติ และเจ้าหน้าที่ผู้ปฏิบัติงาน กรมสอบสวนคดีพิเศษ จำนวน 400 คน ซึ่งใช้วิธีการเลือกกลุ่มตัวอย่างจากการสุ่มกลุ่มตัวอย่างแบบง่าย เครื่องมือที่ใช้ในการวิจัยเป็นแบบสอบถามที่ผู้วิจัยสร้างขึ้น (IOC = 0.868, Reliability = 0.981) วิเคราะห์ข้อมูลโดยการหาค่า ความถี่ ร้อยละ ค่าเฉลี่ย ส่วนเบี่ยงเบนมาตรฐาน และวิเคราะห์ปัจจัยบ่งชี้ลักษณะอาชญากรรมลูกผสมในสังคมไทยโดยใช้ตัวแบบสมการเชิงโครงสร้าง ในส่วนของการวิจัยเชิงคุณภาพ ใช้เทคนิคการสัมภาษณ์เชิงลึกผู้ปฏิบัติงานระดับผู้บริหารหน่วยงานภาครัฐที่เกี่ยวข้องกับปัญหาอาชญากรรมลูกผสมในสังคมไทย จำนวน 15 คน ซึ่งใช้วิธีการเลือกกลุ่มตัวอย่างแบบเจาะจง เครื่องมือที่ใช้ในการวิจัยเป็นแบบสัมภาษณ์แบบกึ่งโครงสร้าง วิเคราะห์ข้อมูลโดยวิธีการวิเคราะห์เนื้อหา เพื่ออธิบายและยืนยันความถูกต้องของข้อมูลที่ได้จากการวิจัยเชิงปริมาณ รวมทั้งเป็นส่วนเสริมหรือส่วนเติมเต็มความสมบูรณ์ถูกต้องของงานวิจัย ผลการวิจัย พบว่า ปัญหาอาชญากรรมในสังคมไทยมีการปรับเปลี่ยนรูปแบบด้านปัญหาอาชญากรรมลูกผสมอยู่ในระดับมาก (ค่าเฉลี่ย = 4.18) ซึ่งเป็นอาชญากรรมมากกว่ารูปแบบเดียว ที่เกิดจากการผสมผสานกันระหว่างอาชญากรรมรูปแบบเดิมและอาชญากรรมรูปแบบใหม่ เป็นอาชญากรรมลูกผสมพื้นฐาน อาชญากรรมลูกผสมขั้นสูง อาชญากรรมลูกผสมอื่น ๆ และในอนาคต โดยปรากฏลักษณะสำคัญของปัญหาอาชญากรรมลูกผสมในมิติด้านต่าง ๆ ได้แก่ ผู้กระทำผิดหรืออาชญากรมีการรวมตัวกันเป็นเครือข่าย/องค์กรมากขึ้น ข้ามรัฐ/ไร้พรมแดน พึ่งพาเทคโนโลยี วิธีการที่หลากหลาย/ซับซ้อน ส่งผลกระทบในวงกว้าง ไม่จำกัดช่วงเวลาและสถานที่ สร้างการเลียนแบบ เข้าถึงเป้าหมายได้ง่าย ไม่จำเป็นต้องเผชิญหน้ากับเป้าหมาย คุ้มค่ามากที่สุดในการก่อเหตุต่อครั้ง เกี่ยวข้องกับการใช้ชีวิตประจำวัน ติดตามตัวผู้กระทำผิดมาลงโทษได้ยาก ทำให้สูญเสียบุคลากรและงบประมาณจำนวนมากในการปราบปราม ป้องกันและแก้ไข ซึ่งการสร้างแบบจำลองการคาดคะเนปัจจัยบ่งชี้ลักษณะอาชญากรรมลูกผสมในสังคมไทยตามสมมติฐาน มีความสัมพันธ์กับข้อมูลเชิงประจักษ์ (p-value = 0.881, Chi-square / df = 0.920, CFI = 0.95, GFI = 0.96, AGFI = 0.95, RMSEA = 0.000, SRMR = 0.040) สรุปได้ว่า ปัญหาอาชญากรรมลูกผสมในสังคมไทยได้รับอิทธิพลรวม …

Perspectives On Community Policing Of Durban Juveniles Living On The Streets, Dena Cheng

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The aim of this project is to critically analyze the structure and performance of the South African Police Service (SAPS) at the nexus of juvenile criminal justice and homelessness. Facing issues of social discord, legitimacy, and patterns of corruption following the era of apartheid, SAPS plays a critical role in both preventing as well as eliminating crime. Therefore, this project focuses on a particularly marginalized community, under-aged street children, since the treatment of youth crime and/or criminality in Durban serves as a microcosm of a larger system of practices implemented by SAPS. Through in-depth interviews with local social workers, a …

Effects Of Prison Program Participation On Recidivism Outcomes, Jordan Jakobs

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

Although the relationship between prison programs and recidivism has been extensively researched, few studies have examined the role of commitment as a part of social bond theory and its relationship to prison programs and recidivism. Based on a nationwide sample of 9,890 prisoners, the concept of commitment is used as a paradigm to understand whether completion of prison programs increases bonds of commitment to conventional activities thereby reducing the rate of recidivism. The analyses indicate that commitment improves recidivism outcomes for offenders who completed alcohol and drug treatment programs but not for those in vocational and educational programs. These results …

Proposed Controversial Speech Topics, Edna Louise Saffy

Saffy Collection - All Textual Materials

A list of proposed controversial speech topics for Dr. Saffy’s Speech 2600 course.

An Investigation Into Trust And Security In The Mandatory And Imposed Use Of Financial Icts Upon Older People, David Michael Cook

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Care needs to be taken to reduce the number of people who are fearful and mistrustful of using ICT where that usage is forced upon them without choice or alternative. The growing incidence of mandatory and imposed online systems can result in confusion, misuse, fear, and rejection by people with only rudimentary ICT skills. A cohort where a high percentage of such people occur is older people, defined in this study as people over the age of 60 Examples of compulsory ICT interactions include some banks limiting bank statement access through online rather than paper-based options. Other examples include the …

The Financial Exploitation And Abuse Of The Elderly, Christopher Hodges

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

The criminal industry of elder financial fraud and exploitation (EFFE) is a growing concern among policy makers as well as researchers. This is due to the growing financial impact exploiters are having on their victims. EFFE is defined by the National Center on Elder Abuse as “the illegal or improper use of an elder’s funds, property, or assets (NCEA, 2017).” Following this definition, the quantity of wealth determined to have been lost due to EFFE is staggering. As the tangible capital loss has grown so has the need for more research into this topic. The research in this paper seeks …

"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 …

White-Collar Crime: Should You Be Afraid?, Logan Smalley

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

A secondary data analysis was conducted to determine relationships between US State, dollar amount of fraud, and type of savings and loan fraud committed. Using a dataset created by Pontell et al. (1999), this paper investigates the impact of the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act of 1989 on prosecuting those who commit crimes within the savings and loan industry. This paper also includes research into the theoretical components of society's perception into white-collar crime and sociological theories that could explain motives behind white-collar offenses.

Police And Citizens' Perceptions Of Community Policing In Richmond, Virginia, Denita R. Square-Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Community policing is an initiative that requires public cooperation and participation to be successful. Little is known, however, about police and citizens' perceptions of community policing and its impact on Richmond, Virginia neighborhoods. Using policy feedback theory as a lens, the purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore and gain a better understanding of RPD's and Richmond citizens' perceptions of community-oriented policing strategies in Richmond neighborhoods. Research questions focused on how officers and citizens perceive the impact of community policing strategies and the specific strategies they viewed as most successful in building public trust. Data were collected from a …

Patterns Of Similarity Of Corporate Frauds, Joshua Onome Imoniana, Fernando Dal-Ri Murcia

The Qualitative Report

The current study examined the patterns of the similarity of corporate frauds. It used written scenarios of the frauds experienced from workplace. Participants were 10 graduate MBA students in a controllership program of the Presbyterian Mackenzie University, located in São Paulo, Brazil, during the period of December 2013. In our study, they described the recent types of fraud they witnessed. A premise supports the similarity of frauds in regard to misappropriation of asset following the flaws in internal control and the authorising schemes. Our study concludes for the scenarios holding for similarity in misappropriation of assets plus monetary theft and …