Pub Date : 2023-10-19DOI: 10.1108/jfc-06-2023-0160
Rasha Kassem, Elisabeth Carter
Purpose This paper aims to systematically review over two decades of academic articles on romance fraud to provide a holistic insight into this crime and identify literature gaps. Design/methodology/approach More than two decades of peer-reviewed academic journal articles from 2000 to 2023 were systematically reviewed using multiple search engines and databases for relevant papers, identified through searches of paper titles, keywords, abstracts and primary texts. Findings The findings reveal 10 themes: i) the definitions and terminology of romance fraud; ii) romance fraud’s impact on victims; iii) the profile of romance fraud criminals and victims; iv) romance fraud methods and techniques; v) why victims become susceptible to romance fraud; vi) the psychology of romance fraud criminals; vii) the links between romance fraud and other crimes; viii) the challenges of investigating romance fraud; ix) preventing romance fraud and protecting victims; and x) how romance fraud victims can be supported. Practical implications The paper reveals implications regarding the future direction of policy and strategy to address the pervasive low reporting rates and narratives of shame bound with victims of this crime. Originality/value Romance fraud is a serious crime against individuals with impacts beyond financial losses. Still, this fraud type is under-researched, and the literature lacks a holistic view of this crime. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first systematic literature review providing a holistic view of romance fraud. It combines evidence across the academic landscape to reveal the breadth and depth of the current work concerning romance fraud and identify gaps in the understanding of this fraud crime.
{"title":"Mapping romance fraud research – a systematic review","authors":"Rasha Kassem, Elisabeth Carter","doi":"10.1108/jfc-06-2023-0160","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/jfc-06-2023-0160","url":null,"abstract":"Purpose This paper aims to systematically review over two decades of academic articles on romance fraud to provide a holistic insight into this crime and identify literature gaps. Design/methodology/approach More than two decades of peer-reviewed academic journal articles from 2000 to 2023 were systematically reviewed using multiple search engines and databases for relevant papers, identified through searches of paper titles, keywords, abstracts and primary texts. Findings The findings reveal 10 themes: i) the definitions and terminology of romance fraud; ii) romance fraud’s impact on victims; iii) the profile of romance fraud criminals and victims; iv) romance fraud methods and techniques; v) why victims become susceptible to romance fraud; vi) the psychology of romance fraud criminals; vii) the links between romance fraud and other crimes; viii) the challenges of investigating romance fraud; ix) preventing romance fraud and protecting victims; and x) how romance fraud victims can be supported. Practical implications The paper reveals implications regarding the future direction of policy and strategy to address the pervasive low reporting rates and narratives of shame bound with victims of this crime. Originality/value Romance fraud is a serious crime against individuals with impacts beyond financial losses. Still, this fraud type is under-researched, and the literature lacks a holistic view of this crime. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first systematic literature review providing a holistic view of romance fraud. It combines evidence across the academic landscape to reveal the breadth and depth of the current work concerning romance fraud and identify gaps in the understanding of this fraud crime.","PeriodicalId":38940,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Financial Crime","volume":"27 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135666882","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-10-13DOI: 10.1108/jfc-08-2023-0207
Henry Ordower
Purpose This paper aims to address the fundamentals of tax planning and seeks to focus on the opportunities and root causes for tax planning. Design/methodology/approach The paper reviews the current state of tax planning with case studies that reveal fundamental statutory structural opportunities. Findings While some, possibly many, tax advisers lack integrity and recommend tax structures to their clients that are inconsistent with reasonable interpretations of the tax law, most advisers, even very aggressive and creative advisers, probably do not. The paper suggests that it may be futile to seek to deter tax professionals from designing and marketing tax plans unless legislation makes tax advisers jointly responsible with their clients for their clients’ tax underpayments. Practical implications Short of such a radical approach, governments must commit first to altering the basic structure of their tax laws to make aggressive tax planning uninviting. Originality/value The paper offers original insights into the inseparability of the legislative process from the creation of unnecessary tax planning opportunities.
{"title":"Is aggressive tax planning a failure of tax adviser integrity?","authors":"Henry Ordower","doi":"10.1108/jfc-08-2023-0207","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/jfc-08-2023-0207","url":null,"abstract":"Purpose This paper aims to address the fundamentals of tax planning and seeks to focus on the opportunities and root causes for tax planning. Design/methodology/approach The paper reviews the current state of tax planning with case studies that reveal fundamental statutory structural opportunities. Findings While some, possibly many, tax advisers lack integrity and recommend tax structures to their clients that are inconsistent with reasonable interpretations of the tax law, most advisers, even very aggressive and creative advisers, probably do not. The paper suggests that it may be futile to seek to deter tax professionals from designing and marketing tax plans unless legislation makes tax advisers jointly responsible with their clients for their clients’ tax underpayments. Practical implications Short of such a radical approach, governments must commit first to altering the basic structure of their tax laws to make aggressive tax planning uninviting. Originality/value The paper offers original insights into the inseparability of the legislative process from the creation of unnecessary tax planning opportunities.","PeriodicalId":38940,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Financial Crime","volume":"7 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135804959","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-10-12DOI: 10.1108/jfc-08-2023-0201
Doron Goldbarsht, Katie Benson
Purpose The legal profession is vulnerable to abuse for the purposes of money laundering and terrorist financing. According to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), that vulnerability justified updated global recommendations that urge countries to require lawyers, notaries and other independent legal professionals – including sole practitioners, partners and employed professionals within law firms – to identify, assess and manage the money laundering and terrorist financing risks associated with their services and to ensure that they have appropriate mechanisms in place to provide risk assessment information to competent authorities. Those recommendations proved contentious, with concerns raised by both legal academics and legal professional bodies about the implications of certain aspects of the requirements for the principle of lawyer–client confidentiality. Despite those concerns, many countries have introduced or amended regulatory regimes to extend their application to the legal sector to comply with the FATF’s standards. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the debate surrounding the extension of AML/CTF obligations to the legal profession. Design/methodology/approach This paper considers three jurisdictions – the UK, Israel and Australia – at different stages in their journey towards compliance with the FATF’s anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorist financing (CTF) standards for the legal profession. While the UK has a long-established and well-embedded AML regulatory framework for legal professionals, Australia remains non-compliant with the FATF standards. Israel occupies a position between these two ends of the spectrum: following criticism of the omission of lawyers from its AML/CTF regime, Israel implemented due diligence rules for the profession. In 2018, Israel was found to be partially compliant with the relevant FATF recommendations. Findings It argues that although there are challenges involved, there are also important benefits. Therefore, Australia should act to implement its proposed changes sooner rather than later. Its persistent failure to appropriately address globally recognised areas of vulnerability leaves Australia open to integrity abuse. In addition, if the government delays addressing this issue until pressure from the FATF (such as deadlines for compliance and, if necessary, a finding of non-compliance) forces it to comply, this may tarnish Australia’s reputation, threaten its access to international financial markets and adversely affect the legitimacy and effectiveness of its AML/CTF regime. Originality/value Originality in this context refers to the distinctiveness and uniqueness of a paper’s content and approach. In this case, the originality lies in the fact that there is no other existing paper that addresses the topic of three common-law jurisdictions at various stages of their progression towards aligning with the FATF AML/CTF standards, specifically within the context of the legal prof
{"title":"From later to sooner: exploring compliance with the global regime of anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing in the legal profession","authors":"Doron Goldbarsht, Katie Benson","doi":"10.1108/jfc-08-2023-0201","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/jfc-08-2023-0201","url":null,"abstract":"Purpose The legal profession is vulnerable to abuse for the purposes of money laundering and terrorist financing. According to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), that vulnerability justified updated global recommendations that urge countries to require lawyers, notaries and other independent legal professionals – including sole practitioners, partners and employed professionals within law firms – to identify, assess and manage the money laundering and terrorist financing risks associated with their services and to ensure that they have appropriate mechanisms in place to provide risk assessment information to competent authorities. Those recommendations proved contentious, with concerns raised by both legal academics and legal professional bodies about the implications of certain aspects of the requirements for the principle of lawyer–client confidentiality. Despite those concerns, many countries have introduced or amended regulatory regimes to extend their application to the legal sector to comply with the FATF’s standards. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the debate surrounding the extension of AML/CTF obligations to the legal profession. Design/methodology/approach This paper considers three jurisdictions – the UK, Israel and Australia – at different stages in their journey towards compliance with the FATF’s anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorist financing (CTF) standards for the legal profession. While the UK has a long-established and well-embedded AML regulatory framework for legal professionals, Australia remains non-compliant with the FATF standards. Israel occupies a position between these two ends of the spectrum: following criticism of the omission of lawyers from its AML/CTF regime, Israel implemented due diligence rules for the profession. In 2018, Israel was found to be partially compliant with the relevant FATF recommendations. Findings It argues that although there are challenges involved, there are also important benefits. Therefore, Australia should act to implement its proposed changes sooner rather than later. Its persistent failure to appropriately address globally recognised areas of vulnerability leaves Australia open to integrity abuse. In addition, if the government delays addressing this issue until pressure from the FATF (such as deadlines for compliance and, if necessary, a finding of non-compliance) forces it to comply, this may tarnish Australia’s reputation, threaten its access to international financial markets and adversely affect the legitimacy and effectiveness of its AML/CTF regime. Originality/value Originality in this context refers to the distinctiveness and uniqueness of a paper’s content and approach. In this case, the originality lies in the fact that there is no other existing paper that addresses the topic of three common-law jurisdictions at various stages of their progression towards aligning with the FATF AML/CTF standards, specifically within the context of the legal prof","PeriodicalId":38940,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Financial Crime","volume":"9 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135963453","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-10-11DOI: 10.1108/jfc-02-2023-0039
I Putu Mega Juli Semara Putra, Ranto Partomuan Sihombing
Purpose This paper aims to investigate the risk of corruption in several countries based on the cultural dimensions of Hofstede and institutional quality (IQ). Design/methodology/approach Data was collected from the Corruption Perception Index, Hofstede index and Worldwide Governance Indicators in 92 countries. Structural equation modeling based on partial least squares was used to test the proposed model. Findings The findings support the fraud triangle theory, which states that high transparency of individualist cultural attitudes and institutional control mechanisms reduces the opportunities for fraud to occur. From this research, it is also concluded that culture is a factor that tends to be constant and difficult to change. Research limitations/implications Research limitations include: First, it is limited to the number of samples, where the number of samples depends on the availability of data. However, only 92 countries intersect and have complete information. Second, this study only uses individualism from the Hofstede cultural dimension to see the risk of corruption. Practical implications The result of this study implicates the policymakers in government agencies to increase IQ to reduce the risk of corruption. Originality/value This is a preliminary study that discusses national culture (NC) and corruption, as well as the effect of the mediating variable, namely, the IQ. By including IQ, the authors hope that the impact of the effects of NC on corruption risk can be clarified.
{"title":"The potential of corruption based on Hofstede cultural dimensions and institutional quality: an international evidence","authors":"I Putu Mega Juli Semara Putra, Ranto Partomuan Sihombing","doi":"10.1108/jfc-02-2023-0039","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/jfc-02-2023-0039","url":null,"abstract":"Purpose This paper aims to investigate the risk of corruption in several countries based on the cultural dimensions of Hofstede and institutional quality (IQ). Design/methodology/approach Data was collected from the Corruption Perception Index, Hofstede index and Worldwide Governance Indicators in 92 countries. Structural equation modeling based on partial least squares was used to test the proposed model. Findings The findings support the fraud triangle theory, which states that high transparency of individualist cultural attitudes and institutional control mechanisms reduces the opportunities for fraud to occur. From this research, it is also concluded that culture is a factor that tends to be constant and difficult to change. Research limitations/implications Research limitations include: First, it is limited to the number of samples, where the number of samples depends on the availability of data. However, only 92 countries intersect and have complete information. Second, this study only uses individualism from the Hofstede cultural dimension to see the risk of corruption. Practical implications The result of this study implicates the policymakers in government agencies to increase IQ to reduce the risk of corruption. Originality/value This is a preliminary study that discusses national culture (NC) and corruption, as well as the effect of the mediating variable, namely, the IQ. By including IQ, the authors hope that the impact of the effects of NC on corruption risk can be clarified.","PeriodicalId":38940,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Financial Crime","volume":"47 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136057503","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-10-06DOI: 10.1108/jfc-08-2023-0203
Llewelyn Gray Curlewis
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to bring to light the present civil and criminal asset forfeiture procedures within the South African context and to make suggestions for reform thereof. While there exists and is a need for constant change and reform of the law to ensure that it remains transparent, up-to-date and applicable to all means through which economic crime can be committed, South Africa lacks the necessary resources and attitudes to accomplish this essential goal. Design/methodology/approach The approach used in this paper is purely qualitative using journal articles, textbooks, reports, periodicals, speeches and legislation as its basis. It is through a consolidation of this literature that this paper was formed. Findings While South Africa’s present system of asset forfeiture is producing some impressive results, the process still has vast room for improvement. There are key areas which this paper outlines for reform. However, the probability of improvement is relatively low owing to the levels of corruption, illicit activities and attitudes of mistrust within the South African society at large. Originality/value The concept of asset forfeiture is not new to any international jurisdiction, let alone South Africa itself. However, this paper aims to give insight into the specific South African experience of this procedure and how it can possibly be improved within the specific context.
{"title":"“Pay back the money” – a paper on criminal and civil asset forfeiture within South Africa and suggestions for reform","authors":"Llewelyn Gray Curlewis","doi":"10.1108/jfc-08-2023-0203","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/jfc-08-2023-0203","url":null,"abstract":"Purpose The purpose of this paper is to bring to light the present civil and criminal asset forfeiture procedures within the South African context and to make suggestions for reform thereof. While there exists and is a need for constant change and reform of the law to ensure that it remains transparent, up-to-date and applicable to all means through which economic crime can be committed, South Africa lacks the necessary resources and attitudes to accomplish this essential goal. Design/methodology/approach The approach used in this paper is purely qualitative using journal articles, textbooks, reports, periodicals, speeches and legislation as its basis. It is through a consolidation of this literature that this paper was formed. Findings While South Africa’s present system of asset forfeiture is producing some impressive results, the process still has vast room for improvement. There are key areas which this paper outlines for reform. However, the probability of improvement is relatively low owing to the levels of corruption, illicit activities and attitudes of mistrust within the South African society at large. Originality/value The concept of asset forfeiture is not new to any international jurisdiction, let alone South Africa itself. However, this paper aims to give insight into the specific South African experience of this procedure and how it can possibly be improved within the specific context.","PeriodicalId":38940,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Financial Crime","volume":"14 36 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135350653","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-10-05DOI: 10.1108/jfc-10-2022-0253
Fátima Sol Murta, Paulo M. Gama
Purpose This paper aims to study the effect of country-level perceptions of corruption on commercial banks’ lending activity over the importance of loans and the quality of loan portfolios of banks in Europe. Design/methodology/approach The paper uses country-level perceptions of corruption scores from Transparency International, individual bank-specific data from ORBIS and macroeconomic data from the World Bank. The sample is composed of 640 commercial banks in 42 European countries from 2013 to 2019. The authors estimate, by pooled OLS, the relationship between corruption and the importance of loans and the quality of the banks’ loan portfolios. In addition, several robustness tests reinforce the results. Findings The results show that corruption negatively impacts the importance of loans in bank assets and positively impacts the proportion of bad loans. In addition, trade openness increases the weight of loans and the weight of nonperforming loans. Bank size, capital and risk also affect bank lending activity. Finally, European Monetary Union (EMU) membership reinforces the negative (positive) effect on loans (bad loans). Research limitations/implications The results highlight the importance of fighting corruption. Governments, regulators and banks benefit from pursuing transparency-oriented policies to decrease the perception of corruption and foster economic development. Originality/value The literature on the impact of corruption on bank lending activity focuses mainly on high-corruption countries. This paper studies the European case, scarcely investigated in the literature, in the aftermath of two international financial crises and when significant regulatory transformations in banking supervision were instituted in the EMU countries.
{"title":"On the relationship between corruption and bank lending activity: European evidence","authors":"Fátima Sol Murta, Paulo M. Gama","doi":"10.1108/jfc-10-2022-0253","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/jfc-10-2022-0253","url":null,"abstract":"Purpose This paper aims to study the effect of country-level perceptions of corruption on commercial banks’ lending activity over the importance of loans and the quality of loan portfolios of banks in Europe. Design/methodology/approach The paper uses country-level perceptions of corruption scores from Transparency International, individual bank-specific data from ORBIS and macroeconomic data from the World Bank. The sample is composed of 640 commercial banks in 42 European countries from 2013 to 2019. The authors estimate, by pooled OLS, the relationship between corruption and the importance of loans and the quality of the banks’ loan portfolios. In addition, several robustness tests reinforce the results. Findings The results show that corruption negatively impacts the importance of loans in bank assets and positively impacts the proportion of bad loans. In addition, trade openness increases the weight of loans and the weight of nonperforming loans. Bank size, capital and risk also affect bank lending activity. Finally, European Monetary Union (EMU) membership reinforces the negative (positive) effect on loans (bad loans). Research limitations/implications The results highlight the importance of fighting corruption. Governments, regulators and banks benefit from pursuing transparency-oriented policies to decrease the perception of corruption and foster economic development. Originality/value The literature on the impact of corruption on bank lending activity focuses mainly on high-corruption countries. This paper studies the European case, scarcely investigated in the literature, in the aftermath of two international financial crises and when significant regulatory transformations in banking supervision were instituted in the EMU countries.","PeriodicalId":38940,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Financial Crime","volume":"4 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"134976238","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-09-28DOI: 10.1108/jfc-01-2023-0005
Fabian Maximilian Johannes Teichmann, Chiara Wittmann, Bruno S. Sergi
Purpose The operational resilience of financial service providers is strained to an unprecedented extent following the Russian aggression in the Ukraine and the subsequent implementation of targeted economic sanctions. This paper aims to consider how operational resilience supports financial service providers in implementing sanctions. Design/methodology/approach The demand made of financial service providers by economic sanction is considered through the lens of operational resilience. Practical problems for the providers are aligned with economic sanctions policies. Findings A well-established system of operational resilience enables financial service providers to meet compliance requirements of economic sanctions with greater ease. Originality/value The literature does not credit operational resilience as a systemic capacity of corporations and rather presents it as a specialised feature. In addition, the role of the regulatory bodies is often dismissed despite directly inciting the practical problems faced.
{"title":"Operational resilience in light of the war in Ukraine: the disruptive effect of implementing economic sanctions on financial service providers","authors":"Fabian Maximilian Johannes Teichmann, Chiara Wittmann, Bruno S. Sergi","doi":"10.1108/jfc-01-2023-0005","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/jfc-01-2023-0005","url":null,"abstract":"Purpose The operational resilience of financial service providers is strained to an unprecedented extent following the Russian aggression in the Ukraine and the subsequent implementation of targeted economic sanctions. This paper aims to consider how operational resilience supports financial service providers in implementing sanctions. Design/methodology/approach The demand made of financial service providers by economic sanction is considered through the lens of operational resilience. Practical problems for the providers are aligned with economic sanctions policies. Findings A well-established system of operational resilience enables financial service providers to meet compliance requirements of economic sanctions with greater ease. Originality/value The literature does not credit operational resilience as a systemic capacity of corporations and rather presents it as a specialised feature. In addition, the role of the regulatory bodies is often dismissed despite directly inciting the practical problems faced.","PeriodicalId":38940,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Financial Crime","volume":"10 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135342848","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-09-27DOI: 10.1108/jfc-06-2023-0151
Sharon Wilson, Nor Azlili Hassan, Keng Kia Khor, Santhidran Sinnappan, Afi Roshezry Abu Bakar, Soon Aun Tan
Purpose Scams are indeed malicious attempts to influence people and can take many forms, including online scams. With the increasing availability of technology, scammers have more tools at their disposal to create convincing and sophisticated communications that appear to come from legitimate sources, such as emails, text messages or social media posts. These scams can be designed to trick individuals into clicking on malicious links, downloading malware or ransomware or providing sensitive information such as login information, financial information or personal details. Scammers often use social engineering techniques to persuade their targets to take specific actions, such as creating a sense of urgency, offering a reward or prize or posing as a trusted authority. These tactics can be highly effective, particularly if the target is unaware of the warning signs of a scam or is unfamiliar with how to protect themselves from online fraud. This paper aims to explore the extent and nature of this problem and evokes the concern that the general public is vulnerable and susceptible to scams if they are not resilient and aware. This paper also explores why victims fall for online scams and uncovers preventive measures to enable a direction in tacitly strategizing ways to create more impactful and effective awareness campaigns. Design/methodology/approach This study explores these aspects through a holistic qualitative approach. Using in-depth interview techniques with six victims, six non-victims, four law enforcement officers, four scammers and seven stakeholders from various agencies such as banks, telecommunication agencies and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission involved in combating the issue of scams. Findings The findings generally revealed that participants who were victims of scams felt Malaysians were susceptible to scams, easily fooled and had a nonchalant attitude. Most participants also highlighted that public safety is important for ensuring a high quality of life for citizens that should work closely between the government and non-government agencies, including effective law enforcement and crime prevention strategies. Originality/value The uniqueness of this study is the feedback from scammers themselves and their input towards authority and victims. Overall, the respondents provide their views drawing strength from the ever-changing technological background as well as the susceptibility of security features and vulnerability of human engagement.
{"title":"A holistic qualitative exploration on the perception of scams, scam techniques and effectiveness of anti-scam campaigns in Malaysia","authors":"Sharon Wilson, Nor Azlili Hassan, Keng Kia Khor, Santhidran Sinnappan, Afi Roshezry Abu Bakar, Soon Aun Tan","doi":"10.1108/jfc-06-2023-0151","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/jfc-06-2023-0151","url":null,"abstract":"Purpose Scams are indeed malicious attempts to influence people and can take many forms, including online scams. With the increasing availability of technology, scammers have more tools at their disposal to create convincing and sophisticated communications that appear to come from legitimate sources, such as emails, text messages or social media posts. These scams can be designed to trick individuals into clicking on malicious links, downloading malware or ransomware or providing sensitive information such as login information, financial information or personal details. Scammers often use social engineering techniques to persuade their targets to take specific actions, such as creating a sense of urgency, offering a reward or prize or posing as a trusted authority. These tactics can be highly effective, particularly if the target is unaware of the warning signs of a scam or is unfamiliar with how to protect themselves from online fraud. This paper aims to explore the extent and nature of this problem and evokes the concern that the general public is vulnerable and susceptible to scams if they are not resilient and aware. This paper also explores why victims fall for online scams and uncovers preventive measures to enable a direction in tacitly strategizing ways to create more impactful and effective awareness campaigns. Design/methodology/approach This study explores these aspects through a holistic qualitative approach. Using in-depth interview techniques with six victims, six non-victims, four law enforcement officers, four scammers and seven stakeholders from various agencies such as banks, telecommunication agencies and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission involved in combating the issue of scams. Findings The findings generally revealed that participants who were victims of scams felt Malaysians were susceptible to scams, easily fooled and had a nonchalant attitude. Most participants also highlighted that public safety is important for ensuring a high quality of life for citizens that should work closely between the government and non-government agencies, including effective law enforcement and crime prevention strategies. Originality/value The uniqueness of this study is the feedback from scammers themselves and their input towards authority and victims. Overall, the respondents provide their views drawing strength from the ever-changing technological background as well as the susceptibility of security features and vulnerability of human engagement.","PeriodicalId":38940,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Financial Crime","volume":"12 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135477620","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-09-15DOI: 10.1108/jfc-05-2023-0129
Samuel Ihuoma Nwatu, Edwin Chukwuemeka Arum, Ikechukwu P. Chime
Purpose The purpose of this paper, therefore, is to amplify the imperativeness for a re-oriented regulatory approach that prioritizes constructive engagement with the regulated communities, harnessing the existing pool of savings and retention of market participation. Design/methodology/approach The paper adopts a doctrinal legal research design with data drawn from primary and secondary sources of law. The primary sources include case laws and statutes, and the secondary sources include book chapters, journal articles and other internet-sourced materials. Findings The paper finds that the status quo in Nigeria if left to continue would spell severe economic disaster for Nigeria’s securities administration, but a well-structured realignment of the regulations would boost the country’s securities market effectiveness. Research limitations/implications The research’s conclusions and suggestions might only be applicable to Nigeria’s particular situation with regard to capital market development and securities regulation. Other nations or locations with distinct regulatory systems, market structures and economic situations may not be able to immediately adapt it. When extending the research results outside of the Nigerian environment, caution should be exercised. For regulatory agencies and policymakers, the research offers insightful suggestions. The analysis may pinpoint certain areas where policy changes are required to address reoccurring problems and improve the chances for a healthy capital market. Practical implications For Nigeria’s regulatory frameworks controlling securities to be strengthened, this paper would be crucial. To make sure they are in line with global best practices, this entails examining and revising current laws, rules and standards. A stronger regulatory environment may also result from the implementation of harsher enforcement procedures and consequences for noncompliance. It is also required for creating market infrastructure, fostering market integration and cooperation, facilitating access to capital, monitoring and evaluation. It would also benefit investor education and protection. Social implications Addressing these persistent issues and potential remedies in Nigeria’s capital market development and securities regulation would have various advantageous social effects. These include improved market infrastructure, more financial inclusion, improved investment protection for investors and improved market openness and integrity. Such results will help Nigerian society as a whole by fostering economic expansion, job creation, wealth distribution and general social progress. Originality/value This paper is the original work of the authors and has not been published anywhere nor submitted to another journal for publication.
{"title":"Securities regulation and capital market development in Nigeria: recurring challenges and prospect for solution","authors":"Samuel Ihuoma Nwatu, Edwin Chukwuemeka Arum, Ikechukwu P. Chime","doi":"10.1108/jfc-05-2023-0129","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/jfc-05-2023-0129","url":null,"abstract":"Purpose The purpose of this paper, therefore, is to amplify the imperativeness for a re-oriented regulatory approach that prioritizes constructive engagement with the regulated communities, harnessing the existing pool of savings and retention of market participation. Design/methodology/approach The paper adopts a doctrinal legal research design with data drawn from primary and secondary sources of law. The primary sources include case laws and statutes, and the secondary sources include book chapters, journal articles and other internet-sourced materials. Findings The paper finds that the status quo in Nigeria if left to continue would spell severe economic disaster for Nigeria’s securities administration, but a well-structured realignment of the regulations would boost the country’s securities market effectiveness. Research limitations/implications The research’s conclusions and suggestions might only be applicable to Nigeria’s particular situation with regard to capital market development and securities regulation. Other nations or locations with distinct regulatory systems, market structures and economic situations may not be able to immediately adapt it. When extending the research results outside of the Nigerian environment, caution should be exercised. For regulatory agencies and policymakers, the research offers insightful suggestions. The analysis may pinpoint certain areas where policy changes are required to address reoccurring problems and improve the chances for a healthy capital market. Practical implications For Nigeria’s regulatory frameworks controlling securities to be strengthened, this paper would be crucial. To make sure they are in line with global best practices, this entails examining and revising current laws, rules and standards. A stronger regulatory environment may also result from the implementation of harsher enforcement procedures and consequences for noncompliance. It is also required for creating market infrastructure, fostering market integration and cooperation, facilitating access to capital, monitoring and evaluation. It would also benefit investor education and protection. Social implications Addressing these persistent issues and potential remedies in Nigeria’s capital market development and securities regulation would have various advantageous social effects. These include improved market infrastructure, more financial inclusion, improved investment protection for investors and improved market openness and integrity. Such results will help Nigerian society as a whole by fostering economic expansion, job creation, wealth distribution and general social progress. Originality/value This paper is the original work of the authors and has not been published anywhere nor submitted to another journal for publication.","PeriodicalId":38940,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Financial Crime","volume":"22 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135354034","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-09-14DOI: 10.1108/jfc-06-2023-0153
Abinash Mandal, Amilan S.
Purpose Although corporations exert considerable efforts to uphold ethical standards in their business operations, fraud instances persist as an enduring and formidable challenge within organisations, defying their utmost efforts. The presence of fraud poses a substantial and recurring threat to corporations, leading to significant financial losses on an annual basis. This emphasises the crucial need for a comprehensive understanding of the factors contributing to fraudulent activities and the intricate nature of fraud risk factors inherent in business operations. Therefore, this paper aims to enhance the efficacy of fraud detection and prevention measures through critical analysis and refinement of established fraud theories, drawing upon the existing literature on this subject matter. Design/methodology/approach This paper offers a comprehensive qualitative analysis of the existing literature, thoroughly reviewing prominent models that aim to elucidate the underlying motivations behind fraudulent behaviour. Moreover, drawing upon the existing theoretical foundation, this study conceptualises a model that enhances the understanding of the crucial factors contributing to fraudulent behaviour. Findings The study presents new theoretical insights concerning the role of personal integrity in fraudulent decision-making, presenting refined interventions that enhance comprehension of the underlying drivers of fraud occurrences and strategies for prevention. Furthermore, the study reveals a comprehensive three-part approach to improving organisational health through strengthening compliance mechanisms and cultivating an ethical-values-based culture. Originality/value The study introduces a novel conceptual framework, the personal ethic-based fraud motivation model, which offers a deeper understanding of the factors and conditions influencing individuals’ propensity to engage in fraudulent activities. Furthermore, this study presents a three Cs strategy that effectively delineates the influential forces that drive individuals to surmount fraud risks.
{"title":"Fathoming fraud: unveiling theories, investigating pathways and combating fraud","authors":"Abinash Mandal, Amilan S.","doi":"10.1108/jfc-06-2023-0153","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/jfc-06-2023-0153","url":null,"abstract":"Purpose Although corporations exert considerable efforts to uphold ethical standards in their business operations, fraud instances persist as an enduring and formidable challenge within organisations, defying their utmost efforts. The presence of fraud poses a substantial and recurring threat to corporations, leading to significant financial losses on an annual basis. This emphasises the crucial need for a comprehensive understanding of the factors contributing to fraudulent activities and the intricate nature of fraud risk factors inherent in business operations. Therefore, this paper aims to enhance the efficacy of fraud detection and prevention measures through critical analysis and refinement of established fraud theories, drawing upon the existing literature on this subject matter. Design/methodology/approach This paper offers a comprehensive qualitative analysis of the existing literature, thoroughly reviewing prominent models that aim to elucidate the underlying motivations behind fraudulent behaviour. Moreover, drawing upon the existing theoretical foundation, this study conceptualises a model that enhances the understanding of the crucial factors contributing to fraudulent behaviour. Findings The study presents new theoretical insights concerning the role of personal integrity in fraudulent decision-making, presenting refined interventions that enhance comprehension of the underlying drivers of fraud occurrences and strategies for prevention. Furthermore, the study reveals a comprehensive three-part approach to improving organisational health through strengthening compliance mechanisms and cultivating an ethical-values-based culture. Originality/value The study introduces a novel conceptual framework, the personal ethic-based fraud motivation model, which offers a deeper understanding of the factors and conditions influencing individuals’ propensity to engage in fraudulent activities. Furthermore, this study presents a three Cs strategy that effectively delineates the influential forces that drive individuals to surmount fraud risks.","PeriodicalId":38940,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Financial Crime","volume":"32 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135490869","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
京公网安备 11010802042870号
京ICP备2023020795号-1
扫码关注我们
求助内容：
应助结果提醒方式：