Online shopping fraud website production: an exploratory study of the mechanics of fraud

Purpose Online non-delivery fraud has expanded rapidly alongside the growth of e-commerce. The actors who technically enable this crime remain understudied. This paper aims to examine deviant website developers involved in producing fraudulent online shopping websites. It focuses specifically on websites used in “pet scams” and how socio-technical mechanisms sustain this type of fraud. Design/methodology/approach The study draws on qualitative data from 14 semi-structured interviews. Participants were Cameroonian website developers who admitted to building fraudulent e-commerce sites. Primary interview data were collected remotely and analysed using thematic analysis. The research examined technical processes, trust-building practices and business models used by these developers. Findings Three themes emerged from the analysis. Firstly, fraudulent websites are produced rapidly using tools such as WordPress templates or website-cloning software. Secondly, social networks are central to client acquisition and risk management. The website developers use referrals, pre-existing social ties and staged payment plans to avoid being defrauded by clients. Thirdly, service diversification is demonstrated through gift-card cashing. This illustrates how some actors expand into money-laundering functions. Originality/value This paper advances the understanding of the socio-technical infrastructure of online non-delivery fraud. It uses the perspectives of website developers who operate as crime enablers and highlights the interplay of technical tools, social networks and entrepreneurial adaptation in sustaining online non-delivery fraud.