Just the way you are. Big Five personality traits and their relation to online consumer fraud victimization

• In Event: White Collar Victimization: Fraud, Identity Theft and Exploitation

Abstract

Sometimes, commercial offers end in consumer fraud, with victims losing a considerable amount of money. In past research on fraud victimization patterns, the emphasis has been on the role of routine activities and low self-control, showing that persons who are active and impulsive Internet users run the highest risks. However, in the interactional dynamics between victim and offender that often precedes the actual victimization, other personality factors such as openness and agreeableness may also contribute to being receptive to scam techniques. To test this, the current research uses large-scale (N=approx. 5,000) representative survey data from the LISS-panel that combines data on online consumer fraud victimization, routine activities, low self-control and Big Five personality measures.

Author

• Johan van Wilsem, Leiden University