A Qualitative Study on Victims’ Experiences in Refund Scams
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Abstract
Refund scams have become a fast-growing type of online fraud in China. They are characterised by the impersonation of official customer service agents offering false refunds or compensation. Despite growing public attention to this issue, academic literature has not yet explored this form of fraud from a victim-centred perspective. This study adopts a qualitative design to investigate how adult victims in mainland China encounter refund scams. The focus was on situational and psychological factors that influence victims’ emotional responses. It was found that contexts such as data leakage, impersonating authority, creating a sense of urgency, and complex operations affected victims’ compliance. In addition, victims’ emotions ranged from initial trust to anxiety and shock, and then to regret and self-blame after being deceived. This study applies Routine Activity Theory to explain the success of fraud and suggests practical preventive measures. A foundation is laid for future research.
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