Explaining two forms of Internet crime from two perspectives : toward stage theories for phishing and Internet scamming

Abstract

The two studies in this dissertation examine two pervasive and common forms of Internet crimes from two different perspectives: (1) phishing from the victims’ perspective and (2) Internet scamming from the offenders’ perspective. For the former, previous phishing research is based on models that assume that fixed or static factors explain or predict people’s reasons for complying with phishing emails. These models assume that the reasons for complying with phishing emails are the same across individuals and across time. However, we argue that, whereas the act of clicking on a phishing email is the same across time for phishing victims, the reasons for complying are not the same. We address this problem with interview data from actual victims of phishing emails. The overall findings show how differences in process attributes lead individuals to comply for different reasons. We further theorize why phishing victims reside in one of two stages and propose a tailored approach to reducing phishing. For the second issue, despite making headline news and the estimated cost in the billions annually, scamming research is at an exploratory stage. Focusing on why individuals become scammers, the academic research on scamming has suggested (1) monetary rewards, (2) structural problems, and (3) affordable Internet access. We argue, however, that individuals in need of money, experiencing poverty and unemployment, and having affordable Internet access, do not become criminals. To address these problems, we interviewed actual Internet scammers. Regarding why individuals become scammers, we suggest that money is because it is needed to socialize, to enjoy an extravagant lifestyle, and to remain or become financially independent. Further, we contribute to finding how individuals become scammers by identifying three stages that respectively explain the initial progression into scamming, the specific choice of scamming and the role of the Internet, and the reasons scammers persist in scamming. We theorize these findings using criminology literature and show that neither the dispositional nor situational criminological theories can adequately explain the proclivity toward scamming and the act of practicing Internet scams. We make suggestions for practice.