Low Self-Control and Fraud

Extant research demonstrates that offending and victim populations overlap to some degree, suggesting that a common underlying factor partially explains both outcomes. The current study tests whether low self-control explains the overlap in fraud offending and victimization exposure. Using cross-sectional survey data from a sample of undergraduate students ( N = 305), the results from the regression models show that low self-control is associated with fraud offending. The findings also show that individuals with lower levels of self-control report that they are more likely to behave in ways that elevate their exposure to fraud victimization. Finally, in the fraud offending—victimization exposure multivariate models, the partial regression coefficient for low self-control is positive and statistically significant. In short, the findings demonstrate that the overlap between fraud offending and victimization exposure is partially explained by low self-control.