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Internet Scamming and the Techniques of Neutralization: Parents’ Excuses and Justifications for Children’s Involvement in Online Dating Fraud in Nigeria

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 August 2022

Richard Abayomi Aborisade Open the ORCID record for Richard Abayomi Aborisade [Opens in a new window]
Richard Abayomi Aborisade*
Affiliation:
Department of Sociology, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, Ogun State, Nigeria
*
*Corresponding Author: Richard Abayomi Aborisade, Department of Sociology, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, Ogun State, Nigeria. E-mail: aborisade.richard@oouagoiwoye.edu.ng; ra.aborisade@gmail.com
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Abstract

Techniques of neutralization have largely been used to explain the triadic relationship between cybercrimes, offenders and victims, while the possible involvement of the offenders’ social networks as accomplices has been ignored. Interviewing parents, a qualitative study of their children’s romance scam involvement was conducted in Nigeria, exploring the parents’ disposition towards their children’s delinquent behaviour. In all, 52 interviews were conducted, and a thematic analysis of the narratives was carried out. Findings indicated that parents’ initial opposition to cybercrimes and support for enforcing laws against perpetrators changed towards accepting their children’s involvement in romance fraud. Parents adopted their children’s neutralization techniques in accepting their deviance. These findings have important implications in understanding the depth of Internet scams and parents’ social expectations in controlling their children’s behaviours.

Abstracto

Abstracto

Las técnicas de neutralización se han utilizado en gran medida para explicar la relación triádica entre ciberdelitos, infractores y víctimas, mientras que se ha ignorado la posible implicación de las redes sociales de los infractores como cómplices. En Nigeria, se llevó a cabo un estudio cualitativo de la participación de hijos en estafas románticas, explorando la disposición de los padres hacia su comportamiento delictivo. Se realizaron 52 entrevistas y se realizó un análisis temático de las narrativas. Los hallazgos indicaron que la oposición inicial de los padres a los delitos cibernéticos y el apoyo para hacer cumplir las leyes contra los perpetradores cambiaron hacia la aceptación de la participación de sus hijos en fraudes románticos. Los padres adoptaron las técnicas de neutralización de sus hijos al aceptar su desviación. Estos hallazgos tienen implicaciones importantes para comprender la profundidad de las estafas en Internet y las expectativas sociales de los padres para controlar el comportamiento de sus hijos.

Abstrait

Abstrait

Les techniques de neutralisation ont largement été utilisées pour expliquer la relation triadique entre les cybercrimes, les auteurs et les victimes, tandis que lʼéventuelle implication des réseaux sociaux des auteurs comme complices a été ignorée. Une étude qualitative de l’implication de leurs enfants dans les escroqueries amoureuses a été menée au Nigéria, explorant la disposition des parents à lʼégard du comportement délinquant de leurs enfants. Cinquante-deux entretiens ont été menés et une analyse thématique des récits a été réalisée. Les résultats ont indiqué que l’opposition initiale des parents aux cybercrimes et le soutien à l’application des lois contre les auteurs ont évolué vers l’acceptation de l’implication de leurs enfants dans la fraude amoureuse. Les parents ont adopté les techniques de neutralisation de leurs enfants en acceptant leur déviance. Ces résultats ont des implications importantes pour comprendre la profondeur des escroqueries sur Internet et les attentes sociales des parents en matière de contrôle des comportements de leurs enfants.

抽象的

抽象的

中和技术在很大程度上被用来解释网络犯罪、犯罪者和受害者之间的三元关系，而犯罪者的社交网络作为共犯的可能参与却被忽略了。在尼日利亚对其孩子的浪漫骗局进行了定性研究，探讨了父母对孩子犯罪行为的态度。进行了 52 次访谈，并对叙述进行了主题分析。调查结果表明，父母最初对网络犯罪的反对和对执法打击犯罪者的支持转变为接受他们的孩子参与浪漫欺诈。父母采用了孩子的中和技巧来接受他们的偏差。这些发现对于理解网络诈骗的深度和父母在控制孩子行为方面的社会期望具有重要意义。

الملخص

الملخص

تم استخدام تقنيات التحييد إلى حد كبير لشرح العلاقة الثلاثية بين الجرائم الإلكترونية والجناة والضحايا ، في حين تم تجاهل المشاركة المحتملة للشبكات الاجتماعية للجناة كشركاء. أُجريت دراسة نوعية عن تورط أطفالهم في الاحتيال الرومانسي في نيجيريا ، لاستكشاف تصرف الوالدين تجاه سلوك أطفالهم المنحرف. تم إجراء 52 مقابلة وتحليل موضوعي للروايات. أشارت النتائج إلى أن معارضة الوالدين الأولية للجرائم الإلكترونية ودعم إنفاذ القوانين ضد الجناة تغيرت نحو قبول تورط أطفالهم في الاحتيال الرومانسي. اعتمد الآباء تقنيات تحييد أطفالهم في قبول انحرافهم. هذه النتائج لها آثار مهمة في فهم عمق عمليات الاحتيال عبر الإنترنت والتوقعات الاجتماعية للآباء والأمهات في التحكم في سلوكيات أطفالهم.

Keywords

Internet scamsonline datingparentsromance fraudtechniques of neutralizationestafas por Internetcitas en líneapadresfraude románticotécnicas de neutralizaciónescroqueries sur Internetrencontres en ligneparentsfraude amoureusetechniques de neutralisation网络诈骗网上约会父母恋爱诈骗中和技术احتيال الإنترنتالمواعدة عبر الإنترنتالآباءالاحتيال الرومانسيتقنيات التحييد
Type
Article
Information
International Annals of Criminology , Volume 60 , Issue 2 , July 2022 , pp. 199 - 219
Copyright
© International Society of Criminology, 2022

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