How Neurotic are Scam Victims, Really? The Big Five and Internet Scams

Abstract

Victims of crimes (and fraud especially) are not just passive observers of crime. This phenomenon, called victim facilitation, implies that there are specific personality traits that predict becoming a victim, and hence, in the present context, scam compliance. We used the five-factor model of personality, a brief self-control scale and the UPPS impulsive behaviour scale to measure the impact of personality traits on scam compliance. Participants answered the personality scales and questions measuring scam compliance across nine scenarios describing typical frauds. The scales were validated and tested for reliability. The UPPS impulsive behaviour scale was re-factorized and re-validated. A sample of respondents balanced for scam compliance between subjects was used to measure scam compliance. Results showed that extraversion, openness, self-control, premeditation, sensation seeking and (negative) urgency correlated with scam compliance.

Keywords: 5FFM, Big Five, Impulsivity, Fraud, Psychology, Internet Scams, IPIP

JEL Classification: Z10