Assessing the Correlates of Online Fraud Offending Among Juveniles

Research exploring online fraud has largely focused on victim characteristics, limiting our knowledge of the factors influencing individuals’ risk of engaging in fraud offenses. It is essential that researchers understand the early-onset risk factors for fraud offending to develop better strategies to prevent behavior and reduce victimization. To address this gap in the literature, this study explored the relationship between self-control, opportunity, and two forms of online fraud in a sample of youth. The results illustrated that self-control and deviant peer associations increase the risk of acquiring personal information and funds from victims, though different online behaviors were associated with each offense. The implications of this study for our understanding of both criminological theory and policy are discussed in detail.