LOVE THROUGH THE WIRE

ROMANCE SCAMS IN THE AGE OF THE INTERNET AND DIGITAL MEDIA

Abstract

Online dating romance scam is a type of trust-based fraud in which cybercriminals manipulate romantic relationships on online dating platforms. Victims believe they are in a (friendship or romantic) relationship, but in reality, they are deceived into sending money to criminals operating online. This type of crime results not only in financial loss but also in lasting emotional consequences for its victims. This paper analyzes the emergence of online dating romance scams at the end of the first decade of the twenty-first century and examines the methods and stages in which these criminal activities unfold. It seeks to explain the phenomenon and summarize the reasons why these scams are highly successful today. Additionally, the paper explores interpersonal relationships and their dynamics in the context of online communication, relying on the hyperpersonal theory and elements of computer-mediated communication developed by American theorist Joseph B. Walther. Although various cognitive and motivational factors contribute to why victims fall into the trap of romance scammers, the central thesis of this paper is that the advent of the Internet and new digital media has been crucial to the expansion of this type of deception. Only through computer-mediated communication (CMC), which excludes an entire spectrum of gestures, expressions, movements, and eye contact from interaction, can scammers successfully deceive victims, who lack key information necessary for making well-informed judgments and decisions.