The Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Cyber Fraud Victimization Among International Students in Belgium

• In Event: ESC WG on Crime, Criminal justice and COVID-19 pandemic Panel 1. Understanding the Impact of COVID-19 on Crime

Abstract

Abstract: Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019, criminals in the Golden Triangle region have transferred large amounts of funds to the cyber fraud industry, leading to an exponential increase in fraud syndicates and a surge in global fraud victims. Europe, with its highly digitised economy, social networks and frequent cross-border trade, has become a significant target for cyber fraud, with international students potentially identified as critical victims due to their unique psychological factors such as loneliness, depression, homesickness, cultural differences and achievement anxiety, as well as their relatively isolated social environment. The pandemic may exacerbate this phenomenon, as more time spent online and a more fragile psychological environment make it easier for fraudsters to contact international students and gain their trust. However, there is a lack of robust evidence on whether the onset of the pandemic has widened the victimisation gap between domestic and international students, which requires practical analysis of relevant data on cyber fraud victimisation before and after the pandemic. In this paper, we explore the gap and changes in cyber fraud victimisation between domestic and international students in Belgium before and after the pandemic by extracting, analysing and summarising data on the number of victims, frequency and amount of damage related to cyber fraud victimisation in literature and reports from 30 December 2017 to 30 December 2021. By highlighting the differences before and after the pandemic and between international and domestic students, we will argue that the pandemic outbreak significantly impacted the cyber fraud victimisation of international students.
Key Words: COVID-19, Cyber fraud, international students, Victimisation

Authors

• Ruoqi Zhang, Institute for International Research on Criminal Policy, Ghent Univeristy

• Christophe Vandeviver, Ghent University

• Jelle Janssens, Ghent University