Law Enforcement Impersonation Bank-Related Scams in South Africa: Perceived Vulnerability and Mitigative Strategies
Year: 2025
Type: book-chapter
Abstract: Bank scams involving the impersonation of law enforcement personnel and financial service providers continue to proliferate across South Africa, leading to substantial economic loss and psychological harm to individuals in the country. The persistence of this cyber-enabled fraud indicates a significant gap in understanding the systemic vulnerabilities that perpetrators exploit. Specifically, there is a pressing need to examine why these scams remain successful despite existing security measures, identify the key parameters influencing individuals’ susceptibility to deception, and assess the adequacy of current preventative measures. This study navigates the imperatives using an exploratory case study qualitative research design. A non-probabilistic sampling strategy facilitated the identification of seven participants, who contributed insights into the subject matter. A nuanced analysis identified an effective monitoring system, heightened public awareness and stringent penalties as mitigative strategies. Subsequent studies may examine the resultant strategies broadly for wider application.
Source: Springer eBooks
Authors: Ishmael Obaeko Iwara, Gbadebo Odularu
Institutions: Vaal University of Technology, University of Venda
Language: English
Subfield: Information Systems
Field: Computer Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Funder: University of Venda
OpenAlex ID: W4413292003