Vigilance in the Void— Perceptions on White-Collar Crime Control and Institutional Legitimacy from the Scambaiting Community

• In Event: White-Collar and Corporate Crime in a Modern World - Covid, Live Streaming and Cryptocurrency

Abstract

The perceived under-enforcement of frauds and scams has spurred the emergence of scambaiting as a form of grassroots activism. Live streams of individuals posing as potential fraud victims to obstruct attempts of fraud have gained significant online followings, providing not only entertainment, but also a sense of justice and community solidarity and support. Through semi-structured interviews with both scambaiters and their audiences, this study seeks to understand their first-hand and vicarious experiences with frauds and scams, their reporting behaviors, and how these experiences have shaped their involvement in the scambaiting community. Qualitative thematic analysis shed light on broader perceptions regarding institutional legitimacy in handling white-collar and financial crimes, as well as the roles of informal guardianship, social control, and vigilantism in fraud prevention and awareness.

Author

• Fiona Chan, Indiana University