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Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Just the Money?
T2 - Does the Criminal Law Appropriately Tackle Romance Frauds?
AU - Gillespie, Alisdair
PY - 2021/6/30
Y1 - 2021/6/30
N2 - This article considers the legal response to romance frauds. This is an issue that attracts increasing scholarship, as digital communication technologies not only make it easier for people to meet but also for scammers to prey on unsuspecting victims. Initially, these scams would take place solely online, and they could proceed very rapidly. While these still exist, they increasingly take place over a prolonged period and can be very sophisticated, including the establishment of a “real” relationship. Historically, the law responds to this crime through offences relating to fraud, but this arguably leaves parts of the behaviour unpunished. Using hypothetical case studies (vignettes), this article compares how the law in England and Wales, Scotland and Canada tackles romance fraud. It concludes by suggesting the need for a new offence where sexual activity is procured by deception.
AB - This article considers the legal response to romance frauds. This is an issue that attracts increasing scholarship, as digital communication technologies not only make it easier for people to meet but also for scammers to prey on unsuspecting victims. Initially, these scams would take place solely online, and they could proceed very rapidly. While these still exist, they increasingly take place over a prolonged period and can be very sophisticated, including the establishment of a “real” relationship. Historically, the law responds to this crime through offences relating to fraud, but this arguably leaves parts of the behaviour unpunished. Using hypothetical case studies (vignettes), this article compares how the law in England and Wales, Scotland and Canada tackles romance fraud. It concludes by suggesting the need for a new offence where sexual activity is procured by deception.
KW - Cybercrime
KW - Fraud
KW - Identity Theft
KW - Romance Fraud
KW - Sexual Offences
KW - Consent
KW - Deception
M3 - Journal article
VL - 8
SP - 143
EP - 174
JO - Journal of International and Comparative Law
JF - Journal of International and Comparative Law
SN - 2313-3775
IS - 1
ER -