Law Enforcement Impersonation Bank-Related Scams in South Africa: Perceived Vulnerability and Mitigative Strategies

Ishmael Obaeko Iwara () and Gbadebo Odularu ()
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Ishmael Obaeko Iwara: Vaal University of Technology, Development of Education
Gbadebo Odularu: Howard University, Department of Economics

A chapter in Behavioral Cybersecurity and Ethical AI in Relational Economics Context, 2026, pp 453-468 from Springer

Abstract: 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.

Keywords: Cybersecurity; Bank scams; Financial implications; Police impersonations (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:sprchp:978-3-032-01214-2_20

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DOI: 10.1007/978-3-032-01214-2_20

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