Online Dating and Identity

Online Dating Scams and Its Role in Identity Theft

ONLINE DATING SCAMS AND IDENTITY THEFT

The increased use of the Internet in modern communications has contributed to the emergence of cyberspace, which has become an alternative medium for developing and experiencing new relationships. The cyberspace is currently used for various purposes including communication and for developing creative romantic endeavors with less spatio-temporal restrictions. While online love platforms have proliferated and blossomed in the past few decades, they have become avenues for cyber crime. This paper examines how online dating platforms have developed to become cyber crime sites through which identity fraud is carried out. The analysis begins with an overview of whether online dating is a scam and the role of online dating scams in identity theft. This evaluation is based on the use of social control theory as the theoretical framework that guides the research. The researcher conducts document analysis based on several keywords or phrases including online dating, romance scams, and the link between online dating scams and identity theft. The study found that there is a positive relationship between online dating scams and identity theft since scammers use persuasive techniques to carry out their activities and conduct attacks on Web servers to acquire personal identity information.

Table of Contents

1. INTRODUCTION

2. LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 The Proliferation of Online Dating

2.2 Is Online Dating a Scam?

2.3 Online Identity Fraud and Scams

2.4 What is the Role of Online Dating Scams in Identity Theft?

3. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

3.1 The Fraud Triangle Theory

3.2 Other Theories

4. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

4.1 Objectives of the Study

4.2 Research Design

4.3 Significance and Contribution of the Study

5. ANALYSIS

5.1 The Rise of Online Dating and Identity Fraud

5.2 Online Dating Scams

5.3 Link between Online Dating Scams and Identity Theft

6. CONCLUSION

6.1 Summary of Findings

6.2 Limitations of the Study

6.3 Directions for Future Research

7. REFERENCES

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Technological advancements in the past few decades have revolutionized modern communications, especially through the Internet. The increased use of the Internet for modern communications has contributed to the emergence of cyberspace, which is utilized for different purposes including developing new and creative love adventures. People across the globe are increasingly using the cyberspace to find love and engage in romantic endeavors because of the numerous benefits of the Internet in this process included limited geographical boundaries. Some of the benefits of using the Internet to find love including anonymity feature, convenience since one does not have to leave their homes or workplaces, new ways of interaction, and ability to find matches quickly. While some people have experienced success in their quest to find love online, others have not had very good experiences or success. However, the success of online dating sites has been a frequent target of cyber crime, particularly identity theft. Online dating scams have emerged and been increasingly used as avenues or platforms for identity theft. As online dating sites continue to increase, online dating scams also continue to increase and generate numerous security risks and threats to those looking for love online. Therefore, examining whether online dating is a scam and how its role in identity theft is an issue of concern that needs to be studied.

2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 The Proliferation of Online Dating

The issue of the role of online dating scams in identity theft has received increased scrutiny given the increase in the number of individuals using the Internet to look for love. According to Butler (2016), there are millions of Americans (i.e. approximately 11% of American adults) who visit online dating platforms with the hope of finding love or a soul mate. Woods (2014) contended that online dating has developed to become a billion-dollar sector to an extent that its regarded as one of the most famous ways for single individuals to find love or their soul mates in developed countries, particularly in Europe and the United States. Singh & Jackson (2015) state that rapid technological advancements have significantly transformed and shifted how people find love through providing a new landscape for people to look for and find love. In a 2015 report, Pew Research Center found that 5% of all American adults in long-term committed relationships and marriages met on the Internet (Intersections Inc., 2015). As more millenials continue to utilize the Internet to look for love, this number is expected to increase significantly because of the growth of online dating sites as avenues for finding long-term relationships. In an earlier study, Rege (2009) argued that rapid technological advancements and prevalence of the Internet has contributed to the emergence of online dating sites, which provide alternative avenues for individuals seeking for romantic endeavors.

Rege (2009) states that there are four major reasons for the growth of online dating sites following rapid technological advancements and the prevalence of the Internet. First, online dating is attractive to customers because of the convenience of the Internet. In this regard, people do not have to leave the comfort of their homes or workplaces to look for and find love since these platforms allow people to date remotely. Secondly, these sites are attractive to individuals because of their anonymity feature, which implies that people can engage in their pursuit for romantic endeavors privately and without supervision or fear of stigmatization. Third, online dating sites have become popular in recent years because they enable customers to experience new measures of interaction like flirtatious emoticons. Finally, the growth in the popularity of these sites is attributable to the fact that they enable those seeking for romantic endeavors to find their matches rapidly.

2.2 Is Online Dating a Scam?

While online dating sites have grown in popularity as alternative avenues for finding love, these platforms have been linked with an increase in crime. According to FindLaw (n.d.), the increased popularity of online dating has contributed to increased cases of catfishing, which is the creation of a fictitious online identity and using it to seek out online relationships. Based on recent estimates, victims of catfishing are in the thousands while the number is underrepresented because many victims do not report their experiences. Zane (2016) argues that online dating sites and social networking websites are rich petri dishes for wicked individuals. Hamsi et al. (2014) concurs by arguing that increased cybercrime incidents relating to the growth in the popularity of online dating sites has become an issue of concern to law enforcement authorities and agencies.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has warned millions of individuals who visit online dating sites that criminals are also using these sites to carry out a variety of crimes (Butler, 2016). While these criminals claim to be Americans traveling or working abroad, the create a variety of scams in the online dating world to carry out crimes against unsuspecting users. In an early study, Intersections Inc. (2015) warned users of online dating sites to be careful about the information they post on these sites. This is largely because criminals pose as strangers and utilize the online dating sites to obtain personal information of other users and utilize it for criminal purposes. According to Woods (2014), while the Internet help those seeking for romantic endeavors to find their matches, online dating sites are also avenues used by identity thieves to steal personal information and money.

2.3 Online Identity Fraud and Scams

Identity fraud and scams have received considerable attention in existing literature because of the proliferation of the Internet and its use by criminals to carry out their illegitimate activities. Smith (2010) defines online identity fraud as the use of deceitful or dishonest measures on the Internet to obtain and utilize another individual's personal information to conduct a crime. Additionally, identity fraud involves the use of an individual's personal information without his/her permission or knowledge. Smith (2010) further argues that online identity fraud is a major issue for Internet users because of the provision of personal information to carry out some activities on the Internet. In this regard, the Internet acts a source of personal information to criminals either life history information (such as name, age and address) and financial information (like credit/debit card numbers, bank accounts and passwords).

Rege (2009) provides a different definition of identity fraud and identity theft by arguing that there is a difference between these two concepts. He defines identity fraud as impersonation of another individual for a specific reason then reverting to own identity. On the contrary, identity theft is complete abandonment of one's identity in favor of another, unique identity. Rege (2009) and Smith (2010) concur that that identity fraud and identity theft have become common on the Internet. Even though these offenses take place in the physical world, their proliferation on the Internet is attributable to the advantages provided by the Internet as compared to the physical world. The nature of the operation of the Internet enables criminals to shield their real identities and assume new identities (aliases) in a relatively easy and convenient manner through which they conduct their criminal activities (Rege, 2009).

One of the scams that take place on the Internet or online platforms relating to identity fraud/identity theft is online dating scams. In this case, online dating scammers create profiles based on fictitious or stolen personal information and pictures. These scammers either utilize photos or profiles of innocent/unsuspecting Internet users or those that are available on the Internet (Rege, 2009). In some cases, online dating fraudsters scrutinize official identity databases to identify appropriate victims, obtain adequate information about them, and ultimately assume their identity. Hedayati (2012) contends that there are other online scams relating to identity theft or identity fraud on the Internet. These scams include financial fraud, medical fraud, mortgage fraud, tax fraud, resume fraud, illegal immigration, money laundering, and terrorism (Hedayati, 2012). Whitty & Buchanan (2012) argue that online scammers contact their victims and develop strong relationships with them for even up to a year. Once they establish such relationships, the scammers then request money from the unsuspecting victims through creating tragic stories or desperate scenarios, which in turn contributes to financial fraud. In some cases, online fraudsters sift through official identity databases of companies where they obtain credit/debit card information and other financial information, which they utilize for criminal activities. For instance, to pay membership fees at dating websites, online dating scammers hack into official identity databases of companies like eBay where they access credit card information that they utilize (Rege, 2009).

The other common scams on the Internet include hacking and phishing, which enable fraudsters to obtain the personal information of other people from official websites and/or identity databases on the Internet. Lynch (2005) states that fraudsters carry out phishing scams through sending emails that are disguised as those from official e-commerce or financial institutions' websites like PayPal. The emails usually appear legitimate and credible to attract the attention of the recipient since they utilize logos and trademarks of the respective companies. In order to convince their unsuspecting victims, scammers utilize scare tactics through which they eventually obtain the individual's personal information that is utilized for fraudulent purposes and activities (Lynch, 2005). With regards to organized crimes, online scammers hide their real identities by assuming other people's identities to carry out their illegal activities.

Identity fraud/theft and other online scams have significant dangers because of the potential negative impacts on an Internet user. Copes, Kerley, Huff & Kane (2010) states that identity theft on the Internet has huge negative impacts on victims. In 2007, it was reported that nearly 8 million people in the U.S. were victims of online identity theft and subsequently lost approximately $16 billion (Copes, Kerley, Huff & Kane, 2010). In this regard, one of the dangers on online scams like identity theft is huge financial losses by victims, especially when the information is used for financially-related criminal activities by the fraudsters. For instance, in 2014, a man for Montgomery County was indicted on charges of defrauding unsuspecting victims of over $1.1 million (U.S. Attorney's Office, 2014). The suspect conspired to target elderly men and women in online dating sites by pretending to be romantically interested in the victims. In 2013, a mother and daughter were indicted for their involvement in a Nigerian online dating scam through which they stole over $1 million from more than 370 victims across the United States and 40 other countries (Suthers, 2013). In both cases, the suspects used online dating scams to defraud victims financially by pretending they were romantically interested.

Online dating scams endangers the psychological and emotional wellbeing of victims (Rege, 2009; Whitty & Buchanan, 2012). According to Heyadati (2012), online scams including identity theft heightens global security challenges because of their role in organized crimes and terrorism. Given the nature of Internet activities and transactions, online scams endanger the effectiveness of law enforcement authorities to fight crime effectively (Copes, Kerley, Huff & Kane, 2010). In concurrence, Heyadati (2012) argues that online scams have enhanced the capabilities of scammers to develop sophisticated tools and systems through which they bypass security systems to conduct their activities.

2.4 What is the Role of Online Dating Scams in Identity Theft?

Recent studies have indicated that there is a positive relationship between online dating scams and identity theft. According to Atlantic Publishing Company (2008), online identity theft is a common problem for Internet users, especially those using online dating sites. White (2014) states that the pursuit for romantic endeavors on the Internet has contributed to the emergence of online dating scams as criminals utilize these sites for criminal purposes. The San Jose Police Department (n.d.) contends that identity theft on the Internet has evolved with technology as people increasingly utilize technology to carry out activities in their daily lives. As a result, criminals utilize several measures on the Internet to obtain the personal information that is crucial to assume the identity of another person.

Online dating scams take several forms though they usually commence with fraudsters quickly expressing affectionate feelings (White, 2014). These fraudsters create fake profiles in online dating sites to develop online relationships, which they utilize for their criminal agendas. When creating these fake profiles, fraudsters in online dating sites post photos of attractive men and/or women in order to lure unsuspecting users. Through using these profiles, the criminals eventually steal other users' personal information or convince them to send them money in the name of love. Zane (2016) concurs with White (2014) by arguing that catfishers often utilize photos of real people to lure unsuspecting victims into stealing their personal information and/or money. Singh & Jackson (2015) also contend that criminals create fake profiles in online dating sites using photographs of attractive people to create relationships with unsuspecting users and eventually steal their personal information and/or money. Junker (2011) states that criminals utilize online dating sites for identity theft through creating fake profiles that they in turn utilize to communicate to unsuspecting victims and quickly express their affection. Shadel & Dudley (2015) argue that these fraudsters sometime use mysterious user names or profiles that are filled with stolen or fake information about the individual.

Whitty (2013) states that fraudsters in online dating sites use persuasive techniques to lure unsuspecting victims into theft of personal information, money or other crimes. Some of these techniques include speedy expression of affection and constant communication. In concurrence, White (2014) states that these fraudsters utilize techniques like poetry, flowers, and all manner of gifts to express their affection and eventually carry out their criminal agendas. Hamsi et al. (2014) argues that these fraudsters utilize fictitious identification to befriend the lonely or those desperate for romantic endeavors and eventually commit identity theft. According to FindLaw (n.d.), the maintenance and constant use of a fake profile is the most commonly employed technique by fraudsters in online dating sites to eventually steal personal information or carry out other crimes.

White & Rea (2014) provide a different perspective on the link between online dating scams and identity theft. These researchers postulate that fraudsters or scammers carry out attacks on Web servers and services to obtain users' personal information. Since online dating sites are vulnerable to security attacks and threats, scammers capitalize on the weaknesses of these platforms to engage in identity theft. Intersections Inc. (2015) concur with this argument on the premise that the personal information of users of dating sites could be exposed in the absence of effective security measures. The lack of effective security measures in these sites make them vulnerable to hacking by scammers who steal personal information.

3.0 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

The theoretical framework supporting this research involves the use of different theories relating to the field of criminology and can be utilized to explore the relationship between online dating scams and identity theft.

3.1 The Fraud Triangle Theory

The first theoretical basis supporting this study is the Fraud Triangle Theory, which was developed Donald Cressey, an American criminologist (Davis & Pesch, 2012). The theory incorporates three major points that explain motivations or factors that contribute to criminal behavior and other unethical behavior. The three main contributors to criminal and unethical behavior based on this theory are pressure/needs, opportunity, and rationalization. Pressure emerges from need to obtain or achieve something whereas opportunity refers to the capability to execute the behavior without being detected/caught or having access to a victim's belongings. On the other hand, rationalization is how people generate ways to justify the acceptability of their actions under the prevailing circumstances (Davis & Pesch, 2012). This theory is important to this research because it theorizes the motivations through which online dating scammers engage in identity fraud or identity theft. Online dating scams engage in identity theft because of emotional or financial pressure that pushes them towards fraud. Secondly, the nature of online dating provides them with opportunities to engage in identity theft because of lack of or inadequate controls to prevent identity fraud. Third, online dating scams engage in identity theft due to their own personal justifications for their criminal activities or unethical behaviors.

3.2 Other Theories

One of the other theories supporting this research is the self-control theory of crime, which is also commonly known as the general theory of crime. This theory suggests that one of the major factors or reasons contributing to criminal behavior is lack of individual self-control. In essence, the lack of individual self-control generates unethical behavior, which in turn leads to engagement in criminal activities. This theory is vital for this research because it theorizes that online dating scammers engage in criminal activities like identity theft due to lack of self-control, impulsiveness, and the desire for instant gratification (Smith, 2010).

The second additional theory supporting this study is social control theory, which postulates that crime and deviance are by-products of inadequate controls (Kempf-Leonard & Morris, 2012). In this regard, social control is regarded as a crucial component of preventing and mitigating the occurrence of crime and other unethical behaviors. The lack of social controls provides an avenue through which people learn criminal activity and in turn justify their actions, especially based on their social networks. This theory is vital for the study because it theorizes that identity theft in online dating scams is attributable to the lack of sufficient controls that prevent fraudsters from using their various techniques to obtain the personal information of their unsuspecting victims. Online dating sites do not have enough controls to prevent fraudsters from developing techniques that they utilize to steal the personal information of their targets.

4.0 RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

4.1 Objectives of the Study

One of the objectives of this study is to examine the emergence of online dating scams in light of the increased use of the Internet by people seeking for romantic endeavors. In this regard, the researcher will explore the growth of online dating sites and how fraudsters are utilizing them as alternative avenues for committing their criminal activities. The second objective is to examine how these online dating sites are linked to identity theft. In this case, the research will examine the techniques employed by fraudsters to steal the personal information of unsuspecting victims. This exploration will be carried out on the premise that there is a positive relationship between online dating scams and identity theft, which has been established in existing literature on this topic.

Research Questions

In order to accomplish the objectives and purpose of this study, the researcher has identified two research questions that will guide the study. These research questions are as follows . . .

1. RQ1: Is Online Dating a Scam?

2. RQ2: How do Online Dating Scams play a role in Identity Theft?

The dependent variable in this research is identity theft whereas the independent variable in the research is online dating scams.

Research Hypothesis

The research hypothesis that will be tested in this study is, "Online dating scams contributes to identity theft by fraudsters who utilize persuasive techniques."

4.2 Research Design

The nature of the research topic is exploratory since the study seeks to determine the role of online dating scams in identity theft given the increased popularity and use of online dating sites to seek for romantic endeavors. Consequently, the researcher will utilize qualitative research methodology since these approaches are suitable for research issues that are exploratory in nature. Qualitative research approaches are utilized when addressing exploratory research issues unlike quantitative studies, which focus on testing two or more variables in a study. Additionally, the use of qualitative research for this study is informed by the fact that the nature of the study topic requires examining phrases and terms rather than numerical data, which is usually employed in quantitative studies.

Therefore, the researcher will carry out qualitative interview, survey, and document analysis to explore the role of online dating scams in identity theft to generate data. These approaches will help in identifying or determining why or how an incident occurred and its likelihood of recurrence. The researcher will conduct a small online survey on a group of 13 participants and interview one victim on their experiences and perceived roles of online dating scams in identity theft. The researcher will also examine court cases relating to the issue of identity theft in online dating sites. These cases will be crucial towards identifying the role that online dating scams play in identity theft based on the views of the online dating scammers and the unsuspecting victims.

Through these approaches, the researcher will effectively examine identity theft crimes in online dating sites/scams as documented in existing literature and people's experiences. The survey, interview and document analysis including court cases will be utilized to identify relevant themes and patterns relating to the research topic. The themes or patterns will be classified into different categories depending on the specific issues they highlight to help in comprehensive understanding of the role of online dating scams in identity theft. According to Jansen (2010), qualitative survey research involves analysis and classification of data into various categories depending on the emerging themes/patterns. As previously indicated, the research design for this study will involve qualitative survey research in which emerging themes and patterns from data analysis will be classified into different categories.

Data Collection Methods

Since the researcher will focus on conducting an analysis of existing literature on this issue, the data collection method will involve identifying previous studies that have been documented on the research topic. The researcher will conduct a search on Google search engine based on identified keywords from the research topic. Secondly, the researcher will also conduct a search on electronic databases i.e. EBSCOHost and ProQuest to identify studies that relate to this research topic. The other data collection methods will entail obtaining court cases relating to the research topic and a survey to obtain information relating to people's experiences of identity theft in online dating sites.

The survey will be conducted on a group of 13 participants because of time and resource constraints that make it difficult for the researcher to conduct a large survey. While small sample sizes are ideal and suitable for qualitative studies, the researcher recognizes that the number of participants in this study is very small. However, time and resource constraints have made it difficult to incorporate a larger sample size in this research. The researcher developed a questionnaire comprising of six closed-ended questions, which was administered to each of these respondents. The respondents completed filled the questionnaire within a one-day period and submitted them to the research through online platforms.

The selection of the sample size, relevant court cases, and documents for this study was based on purposeful sampling approach. Palinkas et al. (2015) states that purposeful sampling is mostly used in qualitative studies because of its role and significance in identifying and selecting information-rich cases or documents that are relevant to the phenomenon under investigation. To identify the survey participants, purposeful sampling was utilized to identify and select people with knowledge or experience regarding the issue of online dating scams and identity theft. However, the researcher considered other relevant issues such as the participants' willingness and availability and ability to answer the questions. For the documents and court cases, purposeful sampling was utilized in identifying cases and documents relating to the phenomenon under investigation. In this regard, the researcher employed restricted inclusion criteria where the search for the relevant documents was based on key phrases and terms relating to the issue of online dating sites and identity theft.

Data Analysis

Once data is collected from these sources, it will be analyzed using thematic analysis, which is one of the most commonly used data analysis methods in qualitative research. Through this method, the research will identify, examine and record emerging themes and patterns in the study. These themes and patterns will in turn help in answering the research questions and achieving the objectives of the study. The patterns and themes will be identified based on issues that repeat themselves in the data, which will in turn be utilized for data saturation to answer the research questions. The use of thematic analysis to analyze the data obtained from the interview, survey and court cases/documents is influenced by its advantages in qualitative research. Braun & Clarke (2006) states that thematic analysis is advantageous in qualitative studies because it's a useful research tool that provides a rich and comprehensive account of data. Additionally, thematic analysis is associated with enhanced flexibility, which is essential when analyzing relatively complex data in qualitative research.

4.3 Significance and Contribution of the Study

This study is significant with regards to filling gaps in existing literature regarding the role online dating scams play in identity theft. The research will also help in filling gaps in knowledge through exploring whether online dating is a scam. Most of the existing literature focuses on exploring the various kinds of crimes carried out in these sites, but do not explore whether online dating is a scam. The insights obtained from this study will help in formulation of policies and strategies that can be utilized to prevent identity theft of innocent and unsuspecting individuals who use online dating sites as avenues for finding love. The formulation of these policies and strategies will be influenced by the fact that the study will highlight the techniques employed by fraudsters to carry out identity theft in online dating sites.

5.0 ANALYSIS

5.1 The Rise of Online Dating and Identity Fraud

Through conducting searches on electronic databases i.e. EBSCOHost and Proquest, the researcher identified 10 peer-reviewed journals on the issue of online dating scams and identity theft. These articles were analyzed to identify themes and patterns that are relevant to the phenomenon under investigation. One of the emerging themes or patterns from these studies is that online dating and identity fraud have increased in the recent past in tandem with the increase in Internet use across the globe. As shown in Figure 1 below, 70% of these studies indicated that online dating and identity fraud is a growing phenomenon in the modern society.

Figure 1: Increase of Online Dating and Identity Fraud

Item

Frequency

Percentage

Increase in online dating

7

70%

Increase in identity fraud/theft

7

70%

The frequency is the number of studies indicating online dating and identity fraud out of the 10 peer-reviewed journals selected for the analysis.

The studies attribute the increase in online dating and identity fraud to various factors including increased Internet usage worldwide, numerous opportunities for carrying out crimes on online platforms, sophisticated nature of the Internet, the increased pursuit of romantic adventures, and the unsuspecting nature of users of online dating sites. The reviewed studies also indicated an increase in identity fraud cases on the Internet. 65% of these studies reported that identity fraud on the Internet cases have increased tremendously because of various factors including the rapid growth of online dating sites/scams. While the studies recognize that online dating is not a scam in itself, they report that fraudsters have utilized these sites to lure victims into providing their personal information, which they in turn utilize for criminal activities. On the other hand, some scammers have utilized stolen personal information, especially photos to create their profiles in online dating scams and target unsuspecting victims for their criminal purposes and activities.

Additionally, 46.15% of the survey respondents reported that they have tried online dating with Tinder and other online dating sites being the most commonly used websites with each at 46.15% as shown in Figure 2 and 3 below. While the number of respondents who have never tried online dating is at 53.85%, the relatively high number of those who have tried online dating indicates the rapid rise in online dating. These respondents acknowledged that online dating has increased in the recent past as people use the Internet to seek for romantic adventures across the globe.

Figure 2: Have you ever tried online dating?

Figure 3: Which dating site have you used most recently?

5.2 Online Dating Scams

60% of the reviewed studies indicate that criminals have taken advantage of the legitimate quest for romantic endeavors on the Internet to create scams through which they defraud unsuspecting victims. These studies highlight that online dating scams have emerged as a result of the development of persuasive techniques by fraudsters who pretend to be looking for romantic endeavors and eventually carry out their criminal activities. The studies also highlight that online dating scams have thrived because of identity theft or identity fraud. In this case, scammers steal personal information from other official websites or take photos that are readily available on the Internet to create their profiles on online dating websites, which eventually turn into a scam. Through these stolen information, online dating scammers contact their unsuspecting victims on the pretext that they are seeking for love and maintain contact for a long period of time before defrauding the victims. Moreover, 15.38% of the surveyed respondents have reported suspecting being scammed by an online dating website as shown in Figure 4 below. On the other hand, 7.69% of these respondents reported that they have sent money or other items to people they have met on online dating websites as shown in Figure 5 below.

Figure 4: Have you suspected that you were being scammed on an online dating website?