How do internet fraudsters think? A qualitative examination of pro-criminal attitudes and cognitions among internet fraudsters in Nigeria

As the use of the internet is expanding, crimes committed on the internet are also increasing. The means through which fraudsters carry out their schemes are widely known. The negative impacts arising from the activities of internet fraudsters are felt globally. Yet little is understood about the thinking patterns that allow perpetrators to carry on with such crimes. This may also explain why interventions are scarce. In this study, we interviewed 12 male youngsters who are actively engaged in internet fraud activities (11 in the community and 1 in prison custody) in Nigeria. The aim was to identify pro-criminal attitudes and cognitions that are supportive of perpetrating internet fraud. Thematic analysis was used to unpack findings from the interview transcripts. We found that peers were commonly identified to play a role in introducing youths to the crime. There was also tacit support from communities and families. Pro-criminal cognitions such as neutralization, entitlement, minimization, rationalizations, and dehumanization were found in the narratives of the youngsters. Interestingly, youngsters often rationalized and justified their actions using socio-political/socio-historical antecedents, a position we found was popular in the cybercrime space, especially in Nigeria. Our findings have implications for the designing and implementation of rehabilitation intervention for internet fraudsters.