fraud crim essay

for revision

: What types of harm are caused by fraud and online fraud?

Financial loss, emotional and psychological distress, social consequences, and physical harm.

What is fraud generally defined as?

Intentional acts of deception aimed at securing unfair or unlawful gain.

What are common types of fraud?

Mass marketing scams, investment fraud, identity fraud, and online frauds like fake compensated dating and naked chat scams.

How does online fraud like fake compensated dating work?

Victims buy stored value cards as deposits; the “date” disappears after getting passwords, then extorts victims using personal details

What does the social harms approach focus on?

The harm caused by crime rather than the crime itself, including financial, emotional, and social impacts on individuals and communities.

Why is a social harms approach important in understanding fraud?

It broadens criminology beyond legal definitions to address root causes and systemic vulnerabilities, not just punishment.

What financial harms do victims of fraud suffer?

catastrophic losses leading to economic instability; online fraud also undermines consumer confidence and costs businesses billions (e.g., counterfeit goods trade worth nearly half a trillion euros).

What emotional and psychological harms do fraud victims experience?

Shame, guilt, anxiety, depression, PTSD, and self-blame, often intensified by the anonymity of online fraud.

How does fraud affect victims socially?

Strains relationships, causes embarrassment, fear of blame, social isolation, and worsens mental health.

What physical harms can result from fraud?

Direct violence, health risks from counterfeit products, unsafe working conditions, and faulty infrastructure leading to accidents.

What are the short- and long-term effects of social harms from fraud?

Immediate financial loss and prolonged anxiety, distrust, and mental health problems.

What does recognizing social harms imply for responsibility?

Accountability should extend beyond offenders to societal structures enabling harmful behaviors.

What policy considerations arise from a social harms perspective?

Need for prevention, education, victim support, community engagement, and economic reforms beyond traditional law enforcement.

How can systemic issues contribute to fraud?

Socio-economic disparities and lack of digital literacy increase vulnerability to fraud.

What do victims typically want from authorities?

Caseworker assistance, updates on case progress, empathy, trained staff, compensation, and offender accountability.

How can a social harms approach improve fraud prevention?

By focusing on victim needs, community resilience, education, and holistic support to reduce both immediate and long-term impacts.

What emotional impacts of fraud are reported in UK studies?

High levels of anger, stress, anxiety, depression, PTSD, and even suicidal thoughts among victims.

How does fraud affect victims’ daily lives and trust?

Reduces trust in others, willingness to use the internet, and sense of safety both online and offline.

What are the wider societal harms caused by fraud?

Stress on families, breakdown of trust in public services, business collapses, and increased costs for consumers.

How can fraud cause physical safety risks?

Through unsafe medical procedures, faulty infrastructure, hazardous products, and compromised safety equipment.

What is a key insight from recent fraud theory?

Fraud involves social interactions and “performance” by fraudsters, exploiting victims’ private interests and trust.

What is the call to action based on the social harms approach?

Adopt comprehensive strategies prioritizing victim support, systemic vulnerability reduction, and community empowerment to reduce fraud.