RT Article
T1 ‘I guess that’s the price of decentralisation… ’: Understanding scam victimisation experiences in an online cryptocurrency community
JF International review of victimology
VO 30
IS 3
SP 539
OP 555
A1 Childs, Andrew
LA English
YR 2024
UL https://krimdok.uni-tuebingen.de/Record/1899488456
AB There is a distinct lack of criminological research examining victimisation experiences in emerging cryptocurrency frauds. At the same time, online cryptocurrency communities have become a key part of the social milieu of the cryptocurrency ecosystem where scams are commonplace. Using Reddit forum data from the subreddit r/CryptoCurrency, this exploratory qualitative study investigates how users in an online cryptocurrency community share knowledge and experiences of cryptocurrency scams. Thematic analysis revealed how online cryptocurrency communities discuss scams by (1) arming the community (e.g. newcomer guides, personal disclosures of scam victimisation, and reflections on the technological affordances in scams); and (2) establishing community norms in response to cryptocurrency scams (e.g. protecting the community, ‘scambaiting’ practices, normalising scams as an outcome of ‘decentralisation’). Gaining a deeper understanding of cryptocurrency scam experiences provides timely insights into the intersections between victims/offenders in digital environments, how we can respond to the recent growth in cryptocurrency scams, and the variegated ways that victims seek assistance following experiences.
K1 Victims
K1 Reddit
K1 Cyber fraud
K1 online community
K1 Cryptocurrency scams
DO 10.1177/02697580231215840