Mikko Siponen is the Marillyn Hewson Endowed Professor of Cyber Security and Professor of MIS in Culverhouse College of Business at the University of Alabama. He has a M.Sc. in Software Engineering, a Ph.D. in Information Systems, and a Ph.D. in Philosophy. His research interests include cybercrime, cybersecurity management, information systems, IT ethics, and privacy. Siponen has held managerial and leadership positions as Vice Head of Department, Head of Department, and Vice Dean for Research. He has worked in several countries as a visiting distinguished professor, honorary professor, visiting professor, invited speaker, and consultant. He is an invited member of the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters.
Abstract:
Online romance fraud (ORF) is a growing threat of great concern to individuals, organizations, policymakers, and nations across the globe. For example, according to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, ORF resulted in losses of about USD 550 million in 2021 alone. Beyond financial losses, victims of ORF suffer diverse psychological effects, including loss of employment, suicidal ideation, relationship breakdown, and deterioration in health and well-being.
Most ORF studies focus on either the victim or the offender, but not both, and therefore fail to provide a comprehensive understanding of victim–offender interaction. Moreover, much of the existing research explains ORF victimization using generic and static predictors. In his talk, Professor Siponen argues that the factors explaining why victims and offenders engage in ORF are not static but evolve during the ORF process. He maintains that the extant literature does not fully explain victims’ decisions to engage in, remain in, or exit ORF relationships. Based on textual data from two-way victim–offender communications, we develop a victim–offender stage theory of ORF. The theory identifies six stages of ORF: (1) recruitment by profile, (2) trust building, (3) commitment through gift sharing, (4) billing by extortion, (5) job through further extortion, and (6) termination of the “love” phase. Finally, Professor Siponen explains how offenders use AI and what measures can be taken to protect against deepfake scams.
