When love becomes a crime: Criminal psychodynamics and emotional manipulation strategies in romantic cybercriminals
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Abstract
Online romance scams have become one of the most damaging forms of interpersonal cybercrime, combining significant financial losses with a profound emotional and relational impact. This article analyzes, from a criminal psychology perspective, the psychodynamics of the romance scammer and the affective manipulation strategies employed to construct and exploit fictitious relationships. A review of recent literature reveals the presence of traits from the dark triad (narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy), low empathy, and an instrumental orientation toward the victim. The modus operandi follows stable phases—recruitment, acceleration of the relationship, isolation, fabricated crisis, and financial extraction—supported by techniques of persuasion and emotional control. An integrative model is proposed that articulates personality, justifying cognitions, and emotional manipulation, with implications for prevention, victim intervention, police investigations, and the legal recognition of psychological harm.
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