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Cited by 6Cybercrime and Law Enforcement StudiesStalking, Cyberstalking, and HarassmentCriminal Justice and Penology

The charade of discreetness: Exploring the paradoxical lifestyles of romance fraudsters

Barnor, Jonathan·2024·Journal of Investigative Psychology and Offender Profiling
DOI 10.1002/jip.1637
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Abstract

This study examined mechanisms that influence romance fraud perpetrators' public display of affluence, an aspect of romance fraud research that has received little attention in the literature. The study collected data through semi‐structured interviews with eight offenders from two Ghanaian cybercrime hotbeds and three law enforcement officials, using a qualitative research approach based on the critical realist paradigm. Data analysis was performed using thematic analysis, which revealed that the social environment, peer influence, links with high‐net‐worth individuals (upper structure clientelism), the involvement of social media and collaboration with some corrupt state officials all had a substantial influence on cybercriminals' public display of wealth. Furthermore, upper structure clientelism shows systemic flaws in financial institutions that must be addressed in order to reduce online romance fraud. The significance of social media in fostering public displays of wealth emphasises the importance of education and awareness initiatives as preventative measures. To effectively prevent online romance fraud, law enforcement should prioritise interagency cooperation and transparency among governmental institutions.

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Crossref · 10.1002/jip.1637

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  • During formal training sessions, scammers learn essential skills such as identifying suitable targets, initiating conversations, using digital tools, and crafting effective financial requests.

    “During formal training sessions (1.2a), they learn essential skills such as identifying suitable targets, initiating conversations, using digital tools, and crafting effective financial requests (Barnor, 2024; Barnor et al., 2020; Cassiman, 2019; Wang & Topalli, 2024a).”

    From Love as Bait: A Scoping Review and Crime Script Analysis of Online Romance Scams (2026) · cites this paper as Barnor, 2024

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Authors
Barnor, J.
Affiliations
University of Education, Winneba (GH)
Corresponding author
Barnor, Jonathan
ORCID
Barnor, Jonathan
Venue
Journal of Investigative Psychology and Offender Profiling
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2024-05-24
Volume
21
Issue
3
ISSN
  • 1544-4759 (ISSN-L)
  • 1544-4767
DOI
10.1002/jip.1637
OpenAlex
W4398778212
Cited by
6
References
60
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 3
FWCI
2.26
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor (vor)
Locations
Journal of Investigative Psychology and Offender Profiling (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Information Systems › Cybercrime and Law Enforcement Studies
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Stalking, Cyberstalking, and Harassment
  • Social Sciences › Law › Criminal Justice and Penology
Keywords
cybercrime, peer influence, social media, corruption, financial institutions, fraud prevention, inter-agency cooperation, Ghana

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