Factors Associated with Online Fraud Victimisation among Adults

Heng, Khai Jie (2026) Factors Associated with Online Fraud Victimisation among Adults. Masters thesis, Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology.

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Abstract

Online fraud continues to pose a significant threat to adults, with limited research comprehensively examining the behavioural, social, and situational determinants that contribute to victimisation. This study employs a quantitative, cross-sectional design to investigate how impulsiveness, trust tendency, negative life experiences, and social support influence exposure to offenders, and how such exposure subsequently affects online fraud victimisation among adults in Malaysia. A total of 311 respondents participated, using convenience and snowball sampling techniques to capture a wide range of experiences across diverse adult populations. The results reveal that impulsiveness, trust tendency, negative life experiences, and social support significantly predict exposure to offenders, which consequently affects online fraud victimisation. Exposure to offenders mediates the effects of impulsiveness and negative life experiences on online fraud victimisation, while the moderating role of lack of technical protection was not supported, indicating that technical safeguards may not significantly alter victimisation risk. These findings emphasise the critical importance of individual traits, life experiences, social factors, and repeated exposure in shaping vulnerability to online fraud, providing practical relevance for designing effective preventative strategies, targeted interventions, and public awareness programs. This study provides actionable insights for policymakers, organisations, and digital platforms to implement adaptive security measures, educational initiatives, and risk management frameworks. By integrating behavioural and situational perspectives, this research establishes a strong foundation for future studies to explore cross-cultural differences, longitudinal effects, and vulnerabilities associated with different types of online fraud.