County trajectories of pyramid scheme victimization
Community-level vulnerability to pyramid scheme fraud may be affected by place-based sources of strain and opportunity. Using national victim data from a pyramid scheme fraud case from 2000-2013, this research explores pyramid scheme adoption with group-based trajectory modeling (GBTM). GBTM is used...
Main Author: | |
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Contributors: | ; ; |
Format: | Electronic Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
2023
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In: |
Crime, law and social change
Year: 2023, Volume: 79, Issue: 3, Pages: 291-317 |
Online Access: |
Presumably Free Access Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
Journals Online & Print: | |
Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
Keywords: |
Summary: | Community-level vulnerability to pyramid scheme fraud may be affected by place-based sources of strain and opportunity. Using national victim data from a pyramid scheme fraud case from 2000-2013, this research explores pyramid scheme adoption with group-based trajectory modeling (GBTM). GBTM is used to look for distinct trajectories of pyramid scheme join rates and to explore the effect of strain, as measured by a county’s Social Vulnerability Index and unemployment rate, and opportunity or protection, as measured by a series of social capital variables, on the group trajectories. Findings suggest that county-level strain, including the county’s Social Vulnerability Index and unemployment rate are related to pyramid scheme victimization, especially early adoption. We also find that social capital variables - which can, in theory, reduce strain or increase opportunity - have a nuanced relationship with fraud victimization. While our findings are drawn from a single pyramid scheme, they point to the potential to analyze case data to inform preventative and monitoring strategies appropriate to local-level characteristics. |
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Item Description: | Literaturverzeichnis: Seite 314-317 |
ISSN: | 1573-0751 |
DOI: | 10.1007/s10611-022-10050-1 |