Blaming victims of online romance and investment frauds: An analysis of two theoretical perspectives
Online romance and investment fraud are growing crimes in Australia by volume and funds lost but are known to attract high levels of victim blame, commonly perceived as stupid, gullible, and undeserving of justice. ‘The Fraud Justice Network’ (FJN) refers to the multitude of institutions that aim to combat frauds, but little is known about how and why professionals within these entities perceive and ascribe victimhood to fraud victims. This study presents findings of perspectives and experiences of the FJN in Australia, of romance and investment fraud victims through fourteen semi-structured interviews with FJN professionals.