Thematic Analysis of Consumer Frauds and Scams Against Ethiopian Immigrants in the USA; A Phenomenological Case Study in Washington Seattle

24 Pages Posted: 22 May 2018 Last revised: 19 Dec 2022

Date Written: May 8, 2018

Abstract

This study aims to assess electronic consumer frauds and scams against vulnerable Ethiopian immigrants living in Seattle. The research contributes to understanding the patterns and typologies of consumer frauds and scams specific to immigrants. The study examines fraud's physical, emotional, mental, and economic impact on the immigrants interviewed. Employment frauds, romance scams, and grandparent scams were common. The fraudsters and scammers frequently contacted the new entrants to the United States of America through unsolicited texting and fake e-mail, letting them click on unsecured ads link and social media. This study suggests consumer protection laws and policies. This phenomenological study is based on in-depth interviews by the author with ten migrant victims. Demographic characteristics such as age, sex, level of education, a form of employment, type, and level of financial knowledge were the leading risk factors of the phenomenon. Consumer product and service frauds and scams such as tax return service fraud, immigration service scams, "Microsoft tech support" scams, craigslist car sale scams, and "journal publish" scams took the lion's share of the prevalence. The sufferers realized the phenomena as frauds and scams, understanding activities on their debit card, e-mail, and mail-alert. Most respondents have yet to report and file a complaint with the concerned legal bodies due to the determining factors and socio-economic and cultural constraints. Psychologically, they lost their faith and confidence in the world, lost their time, and lost personal information privacy. These effects outweighed the material and monetary loss. As a result, the victims planned to use the traditional in-person deal instead of e-commerce businesses.

Keywords: phenomenology, consumer frauds and scams, tax return service fraud, immigration service scam, Microsoft tech support scam, craigslist car sale scam, journal publish scam, employment fraud, Ethiopia

JEL Classification: D18

Suggested Citation

Lema, Bizuayehu, Thematic Analysis of Consumer Frauds and Scams Against Ethiopian Immigrants in the USA; A Phenomenological Case Study in Washington Seattle (May 8, 2018). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3175496 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3175496

Bizuayehu Lema (Contact Author)

University of the Southwest

6610 N Lovington Hwy
Hobbs, NM Lea Country 88240
United States

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