Fake Reviews and Organized Crime: Exploring Cutting-Edge Criminological Insights in Tourism

• In Event: WG Organized Crime and Criminal Networks Panel 3. Organized crime in the digital age

Abstract

The tourism industry, a cornerstone of many economies, faces growing vulnerabilities as organized crime infiltrates digital ecosystems through the manipulation of online reviews. Fake reviews, an escalating phenomenon in the digital marketplace, distort consumer choices and erode the credibility of popular online platforms.

The presentation delves into the criminological dimensions of fake review networks, examining their structural and operational parallels with organized crime groups. Using network theory as a primary analytical framework, the study investigates how these illicit networks form, operate, and adapt within the digital space. Traits such as interconnectedness, adaptability, and decentralized coordination characterize these networks, enabling them to exploit digital anonymity and evade detection.

By synthesizing network theory with criminological approaches, including Routine Activity Theory and elements of White-Collar Crime, this work offers preliminary insights into the ways organized crime exploits systemic gaps. The focus is placed on the criminological aspects of these operations, highlighting their implications for consumers and for legitimate businesses, whose reputations and competitiveness are undermined. This exploration aims to establish a foundation for future research into the intersection of digital criminology.


Key words: Tourism, Fake Reviews, Organized Crime, Network Theory, Digital Criminology

Authors

• Fotios Spyropoulos, PHILIPS UNIVERSITY (Cy)

• Evangelia Androulaki, Department of Business Administration, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens (GR)