Unmasking Persuasive Tactics in Facebook Fraudulent Ads: A Cialdini-Inspired Analysis

• In Event: Criminal Infrastructures Online: Forums, Ads, and Black Market Dynamics

Abstract

Fraudulent Facebook advertisements—such as fake investment opportunities or deceptive e-commerce promotions—strategically leverage persuasive tactics to manipulate users into engaging with harmful content. Drawing on Cialdini’s well-established principles of influence (1984), this study examines how these tactics are deployed in a corpus of fraudulent Facebook ads. Through a mixed-methods analysis, we show that fraudsters effectively mobilize classic persuasion techniques—such as scarcity, authority, social proof, and reciprocity—in ways that closely mirror legitimate marketing strategies. Our findings demonstrate how the psychological principles that drive consumer behaviour are also exploited to create trust, urgency, and compliance in fraudulent contexts. By shedding light on these overlapping mechanisms, this research offers critical insights into the psychological foundations of online fraud and opens pathways for improved prevention efforts.

Authors

• Fyscillia Ream, University of Montreal

• Audrey Potz, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières

• Benoit Dupont, Université de Montréal