Fraud in the Buckeye State: A Geospatial Analysis of Fraud Victimization Reports in Ohio, 2024

• In Event: Findings From the Scholars of the University of Cincinnati Cybercrime and Behavior Online Research Group

Abstract

Fraud is an increasingly common crime, affecting millions of people annually, resulting in financial serious and nonfinancial consequences. While scholarly works examining the correlates and consequences of fraud have proliferated in recent years, it remains less clear whether there exist geospatial patterns in fraud victimization, or whether geospatial patterns exist by specific fraud types. The limited body of research relating to understanding geospatial patterns in fraud victimization is consequential, as such information may facilitate stakeholders in identifying high-risk areas and informing targeted prevention strategies. The current study uses data from the Better Business Bureau to geospatially analyze fraud trends in Ohio in 2024. In so doing, the study identifies geospatial patterns in fraud across the state more generally, as well as by specific fraud types. Findings suggest patterns in victimization and highlight the need for further geospatial analyses of fraud. Findings are discussed in light of policy implications and limitations.

Authors

• Cooper Maher, Michigan State University

• Timothy Austin Engle, University of Cincinnati

• Matthew McGrath, University of Cincinnati

• Joseph L. Nedelec, University of Cincinnati