Devices of Textual Illusion: Victimization in Romance Scam E-Letters

Guntars Dreijers; Valda Rudziša

doi:10.18778/1731-7533.18.1.01

Authors

Guntars Dreijers Ventspils University of Applied Sciences, Latvia
Valda Rudziša Ventspils University of Applied Sciences, Latvia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18778/1731-7533.18.1.01

Keywords:

dating sites, e-romance scam, linguopsychological devices, electronic communication

Abstract

Virtual communication transcends national boundaries and allows establishing and maintaining contacts efficiently. However, it also poses threats to integrity and ethical online conduct. In particular, dating sites and unsolicited e-messages often prey on vulnerable unsuspecting people with an intention to extort financial means. The internet is a medium where anonymity, disguise and fraud are widespread. Scammers use linguopsychological devices to lure potential victims into the scam scenario. Devices were screened and categorized from seven letter-sets (each set containing 18–23 letters) including correspondence with scammers. The sets revealed similar lexical and macrostructural patterns common in e-romance scam. Frequently employed devices appeared to signal scammers’ malicious intents often potentially detrimental to a victim. Persuasion, flattering, appeal to trust, core human drives such as bonding, greed, altruism are among the most popular scammers’ devices. The method of structural reduction allowed establishing functional stages in the macrostructure of letter-sets.

References

Cappelen, Herman, Dever, Josh. 2016. Context and Communication. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Chandler, David. 2002. Semiotics. London: Routledge.

Colman, M. Andrew. 2001. Oxford Dictionary of Psychology. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Coulthard, Malcolm and Johnson, Alison. 2007. An Introduction to Forensic Linguistics: Language in Evidence. London, New York: Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203969717 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203969717

Deumert, Ana. 2014. Sociolinguistics and Mobile Communication. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press Ltd. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/9780748655755

Hill, Graham. 2009. AS&A Level Psychology Through Diagrams. Oxford Revision Guides. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Janicki, Karol. 2015. Language and conflict. Selected Issues. London, New York: Macmillan Palgrave. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-137-38141-5 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-137-38141-5

Joinson, Adam and Whitty, Monica. 2009. Truth, Lies and Trust on the Internet. London, New York: Routledge.

Joseph, E. John. 2004. Language and Identity. Houndmills, New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

Locatelli, Roberta and Wilson, A. Keith. 2017. Introduction: Perception without Representation. Topoi. [Online] Open Access 36. 197-212. Available from: http://eprints.gla.ac.uk/136311/1/136311.pdf [Accessed: 5th August 2018]. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11245-017-9460-1 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11245-017-9460-1

Luchjenbroers, June, Olsson, John. 2014. Forensic Linguistics. London: Bloomsbury.

ONLINE R-SCAMS. 2017. Online Romance Scams Are Fleecing More Americans. [Online] Available from: https://www.forbes.com/sites/dianahembree/2017/06/20/romance-scam-crimes-on-the-rise/#187d57915ec1 [Accessed: 6th June 2018].

Rege, Aunshul. 2009. What’s Love Got to Do with It? Exploring Online Dating Scams and Identity Fraud. International Journal of Cyber Criminology. [Online] Open Access 3 (2). 494-512. Available from: http://www.cybercrimejournal.com/aunshulregedec2009.htm [Accessed: 5th August 2018].

R-SCAMS. 2018. Romance Scams Lead to Broken Hearts, Empty Bank Accounts. [Online] Available from: https://news.yahoo.com/amphtml/romance-scams-lead-broken-hearts-134016523.html [Accessed: 5th May 2018].

SCAMS. 2014. Scams of the Heart. [Online] Available from: scamsoftheheart.blogspot.com [Accessed: 10th June 2018].

Schaffer, Deborah. 2012. The Language of Scam Spams: Linguistic features of “Nigerian Fraud” E-Mails. A Review of General Semantics. Vol. 69. 157-179.

Smail, David. 2015. Illusion and Reality: The Meaning of Anxiety. Abingdon, New York: Karnac Books Ltd.

Tatar, Taner. 2018. The Illusion of Identity. International Journal of Turcologia. Vol. 13. Issue 25. [Online] Available from: https://web.b.ebscohost.com [Accessed: 6th August 2018].

Whitty, Monica and Young, Garry. 2017. Cyberpsychology. The Study of Individuals, Society and Digital Technologies. Oxford: The British Psychological Society.