Words matter: Changing the language of online fraud

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By changing our narrative, we can better support those who have been harmed and hold fraudsters accountable for their crimes, Cyril Gout writes.

Online fraud can have a devastating impact on individuals and communities around the world. From romance fraud to investment schemes, these crimes can leave victims feeling vulnerable, ashamed, and financially ruined.

But as we work to combat these crimes, it’s essential that we rethink the language we use to describe them. Because words matter.

The term “pig butchering” has been widely used to describe a type of financial abuse where someone uses an online relationship to commit investment fraud.

This phrase is not only stigmatising but even more dehumanising for having been coined by the criminals themselves.

Why does this matter?

By using language that focuses on the blameless victim of the crime, rather than the perpetrator, we risk adding to their burden.

This can have serious consequences, deterring victims from coming forward to seek help and providing information to the authorities to stop people from committing crimes against others.

That’s why INTERPOL is advocating for a change in language. We believe that the term “romance baiting” more accurately describes these crimes.

It acknowledges the sophisticated tactics and emotional manipulation used by fraudsters to build trust with their victims. It also places the spotlight on the perpetrators rather than the people they are targeting.

This is essential for bringing perpetrators to justice and promoting a more empowering and supportive approach to victims of fraud.

Financial fraud uses a range of deceptive tricks to fool people or organisations into parting with their money or other high-value items.

Offenders range from opportunistic individuals making moderate or isolated financial gains to highly motivated and organised criminal groups who work at scale to make significant criminal profit.

More thoughtful language can make all the difference

We have seen a significant rise in fraud, particularly cyber-enabled fraud, driven by criminals increasingly using sophisticated digital innovations to deceive victims and the continued move online, particularly an increase in the number of people working, shopping, and socialising almost exclusively online.

As global access to the internet expands and digital innovations become ever more sophisticated, fraud increasingly takes place online.

And as criminals have become more sophisticated, everyone has become a target of fraud – and it often has devastating financial, psychological and emotional impacts on its victims.

Particular groups of people – especially the most vulnerable – are more likely to become the victim of financial crime, but it can happen to any individual, business or institution.

We’ve seen the importance of using more thoughtful and appropriate language in areas like violent sexual offences, domestic abuse, and online child exploitation. We’ve seen the difference it makes.

It’s time we recognised that our words also matter when it comes to this devastating type of online fraud.

By changing our narrative, we can better support those who have been harmed and hold fraudsters accountable for their crimes.

Cyril Gout is Acting Executive Director of Police Services for INTERPOL.

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