Fraud victimization across the lifespan: evidence on repeat victimization using perpetrator data

ABSTRACT

Older adults are thought to be more susceptible to scams, yet understanding the relationship between chronological age and victimization is limited by underreporting. This study avoids underreporting bias by merging four longitudinal databases of Americans (N = 1.33 million) who paid money in response to mail scams over 20 years. We investigate the risk of repeat victimization and victimization by multiple scam types over the life course. Victims in their 70s and 80s are 9% more likely to experience another victimization incident than those in their 50s. Those age 18 to 29 are 24% less likely to experience another victimization incident. Relative to adults in their 50s, the odds of victimization by multiple scams are greater for those in their 60s and 70s, but lower for those 80 + . This study demonstrates the research potential in using scammers’ data to understand patterns of victimization. Fraud prevention efforts should target older individuals who are at higher risk of repeat victimization and suffer greater losses as a result.

KEYWORDS:

• Age-associated financial vulnerability
• customer relationship management
• prize and lottery scams
• psychic scams
• elder financial exploitation

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

Deidentified data will be archived at the National Archive of Criminal Justice Data (NACJD), Inter-University Consortium of Political and Social Research at the University of Michigan. Researchers requesting to use the data files will be required to submit a completed Restricted Data Use Agreement, which certifies that the data will be used for research or statistical purposes only and that the confidentiality of respondents or subjects will be protected

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/08946566.2024.2321923

Notes

1. Subsequent analysis indicated that victims with a change of address on file were approximately 3 years older, on average, at age of first victimization compared to victims without a change of address on file. This could indicate that older victims move more often than younger victims, or that younger people are less likely to request a change of address with the Postal Service when they move to a new location.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Award No. 2019-R2-CX-0053, awarded by the National Institute of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions expressed in the presentation are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Department of Justice, the U.S. Postal Service or Postal Inspection Service, or any other government agency.