The Liminality of Fraud: Reimagining Fraud Theory to Inform Financial Crime Prevention

Utilizing knowledge from academics, practitioners and subject matter experts with lived experience of fraud, this paper offers four significant contributions to fraud theory. Firstly, we argue that fraudsters seek out liminal spaces. Secondly, the paper identifies that fraudsters do not always seek...

Full description

Saved in:  
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Harding, Nicolas 1994- (Author)
Contributors: Cooper, Emily ; Sales, Tony ; McDonald, Andy ; Kingston, Sarah 1980- (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Published: 2025
In: The British journal of criminology
Year: 2025, Volume: 65, Issue: 3, Pages: 618-638
Online Access: Volltext (kostenfrei)
Journals Online & Print:
Drawer...
Check availability: HBZ Gateway
Keywords:
fraud prevention
Financial Crime
Liminality
liminal space
Lived experience
Situational Crime Prevention
Description
Summary:Utilizing knowledge from academics, practitioners and subject matter experts with lived experience of fraud, this paper offers four significant contributions to fraud theory. Firstly, we argue that fraudsters seek out liminal spaces. Secondly, the paper identifies that fraudsters do not always seek immediate financial gain. Thirdly, we argue that within liminal space, individuals are transformed into fraud victims or potentially ‘co-offenders’ used to target businesses. By understanding the importance of liminality for the success of fraudulent interactions, we propose that both on and offline spaces that are vulnerable to facilitating fraud can be identified. Finally, we make the argument that aspects of situational crime prevention can be utilized within liminal spaces at key points to prevent fraud.
ISSN:1464-3529
DOI:10.1093/bjc/azae069