What is it about?

Online romance scams are often seen as crimes of deceit and manipulation. But how do offenders themselves understand what they do? This study examines online romance fraud in Ghana, where many self-described “Game Boys” refer to their scams as a “game.” Through interviews and conversations with active offenders, the research explores how these individuals use strategy, risk-taking, and emotional manipulation in ways that resemble competitive gameplay. Using game theory, the study uncovers a hidden world of risk–benefit calculations and strategic decision-making that online dating scammers employ to steal from victims. It also reveals internal competition among scammers, who sometimes “steal” victims from one another in a practice known as “topping.”

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Why is it important?

By showing how online romance fraud is played as a “game,” we provide Important information for online daters, law enforcement agencies, and platform operators, such as social media and dating app companies, on how to recognize and prevent such crimes. We also offer a new way of understanding this form of fraud: not merely as deception, but as a strategic and socially meaningful performance shaped by culture, competition, and opportunity.

Perspectives

Interacting with scammers was an eye-opening experience that made me question how easily our sense of morality can be eroded by desperation and the pursuit of money at all costs. While I continuously reflected on my own ethical position, I realized how challenging it is to balance the demands of ethical research with personal morality. I often found myself in situations where I witnessed scammers manipulating victims and struggled with whether to secretly inform the victims or remain focused on my research. Ultimately, I chose to prioritize my work, yet I continue to grapple with the moral dilemma of not intervening to help those victims. I hope that the paper will help to prevent others from becoming victims.

Dr. Yushawu Abubakari
University of Ostrava

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This page is a summary of: The Gamification of Online Romance Fraud through Offenders’ Cards, Digital Threats Research and Practice, December 2025, ACM (Association for Computing Machinery),
DOI: 10.1145/3773289.
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