Explaining fear of cybercrime: A focus on interpersonal and property cybercrime differences

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2025

Authors

Guedes, IS (Author) Other; Martins, J (Author) Other; Moreira, S (Author) FDUP

Journal

Title: European Journal of Criminology

ISSN: 1477-3708

Publisher: SAGE

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 0 Citations

Scopus - 0 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-018-3VM

DOI: 10.1177/14773708241312820

Abstract (EN): Fear of crime is a hot topic in the criminological field, yet differentiation between fears associated with various types of cybercrimes remains underexplored. This study (N = 726) conducted in the Portuguese context via an online survey investigates the distinct determinants of fear for two main categories of cybercrime: interpersonal (cyberbullying and cyberstalking) and property-related (online consumer fraud, identity theft, and malware discovery). The findings reveal that while offline fears strongly predict both types of cybercrime fears, the specific variables influencing them differ significantly. Property cybercrime fear is primarily driven by economic insecurity, while interpersonal cybercrime fear is less influenced by socioeconomic factors and more by the fear of offline interpersonal crimes. Additionally, the study highlights that traditional factors from Routine Activity Theory, such as capable guardianship and target suitability, play a minimal role in explaining the variance in cybercrime fears. These insights not only contribute to our understanding of the multifaceted nature of cybercrime fears but also underscore the need for tailored preventative strategies that address the unique drivers of each type of fear.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 25