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Genre of Spam Messages as Instruments of Rhetorical Persuasion for Internet Frauds

Cite this article as: Wayar, B. (2025). Genre of spam messages as instruments of rhetorical persuasion for internet frauds. Sokoto Journal of Linguistics and Communication Studies (SOJOLICS), 1(1), 224–231. www.doi.org/10.36349/sojolics.2025.v01i01.027

GENRE OF SPAM MESSAGES AS INSTRUMENTS OF RHETORICAL PERSUASION FOR INTERNET FRAUDS

By

Bulus Wayar

buluswayar@gmail.com, buluswayar@yahoo.com

Department of English

Gombe State University

Abstract

This paper examines how genre theory facilitates the understanding of spam messages by analyzing their content, form, and specific features, as well as the relationship between the genre and rhetorical persuasion. Genre is considered useful because it makes communication more recognizable and understandable to recipients, aiding in information processing. The term “spam” refers to unsolicited electronic or commercial messages typically sent to a large number of recipients without regard to their identities. The study evaluated 100 persuasive email spam messages obtained from 100 recipients, although only a few were analyzed qualitatively due to space limitations. The analysis revealed multiple layers within the spam genre, each with underlying intents to defraud recipients. These fraudulent intents are executed through the three classical modes of persuasion: ethos (appeal to credibility), logos (appeal to logic), and pathos (appeal to emotion). While these rhetorical appeals have long been used to influence audiences, a detailed linguistic examination of their deployment in contemporary advertising language remains essential. Pathos, in particular, often manifests in appeals to emotion, with spammers drawing on tragedies such as wars, political crises, natural disasters, and serious health conditions like cancers affecting sensitive organs. These emotional appeals are designed to dispel disbelief and manipulate the target audience’s feelings. Findings indicate that spammers employ strategies such as confession, expressions of regret, pleas, promises, praise, and thanks, often reinforced with emotive adjectives to heighten emotional impact.Logos is deployed through logical appeals, including argumentation, claims, warrants, data, and examples. Linguistic markers such as “initially,” “later,” and “finally” are used to structure reasoning and classify information logically. Ethos is applied by appealing to credibility and trustworthiness, often through expressions of deference to the rights, feelings, and sensibilities of the recipients. These rhetorical strategies indicate that the spam genre is not a singular form but a complex array of recognizable print genres, each strategically designed to persuade and manipulate recipients while achieving fraudulent objectives.

Keywords: Internet, Spam, Genre, Persuasion, Fraud

1. Introduction

This paper examines the use of spam messages as instruments for defrauding internet users, with analysis premised on Aristotle’s concepts of rhetorical persuasion, pathos, logos, and ethos. These concepts, discussed in detail under the theoretical framework, provide the foundation for understanding how spammers influence and manipulate recipients. Spam messages are defined as unsolicited electronic messages typically sent to a large number of untargeted recipients. Fraud, as a phenomenon, has existed throughout human history, but the advent of the Internet has introduced new dimensions and methods for perpetrating fraudulent activities (Lee, 2003). The Internet enables perpetrators to exploit anonymity and conduct fraudulent transactions quickly and repeatedly, often without immediate detection by victims (PBI Media, 2003).

The increasing penetration of digital technology has intensified fraud opportunities, as online platforms create vulnerabilities that fraudsters worldwide can exploit (Buil-Gil et al., 2020). Reports indicate that in 2020 there were over four and a half billion Internet users, highlighting the scale of potential exposure. Characteristics of Internet fraudsters often include the use of false identities, as seen in romance scams where fake profiles are created to lure victims (Whitty, 2015). Studies have shown that activities such as online shopping, telemarketing, mail-order purchases, and online banking correlate with higher risks of fraud victimization (Reisig &Holtfreter, 2020; Holtfreter et al., 2018; Leukfeldt& Yar, 2020; Pratt et al., 2020; Reyns, 2018; Reyns& Henson, 2018; Van Wilsem, 2013). In particular, online banking has been identified as a financial operation that increases susceptibility to fraud (Reyns, 2018; Reyns& Henson, 2018). Spam messages are central to this study because they facilitate the disclosure of personal and financial information, which has a direct correlation with online fraud victimization (Kerstens & Jansen, 2016; Reyns& Henson, 2018).

Spam messages, while not inherently criminal, often serve as vehicles for illicit activities, violating acceptable-use policies and privacy standards. For instance, in 2020, losses due to spam-related productivity issues were estimated at $21.54 billion, illustrating the magnitude of the problem (National Technology Readiness Survey, 2020). The retrieval of spam involves methods such as brute-force or dictionary attacks, gibberish content to bypass filters, and the use of viruses or worms to hijack computers for spam dissemination (Center for Democracy and Technology, 2003). These techniques exemplify how spam functions as a conduit for internet fraud.

The relationship between spam and internet fraud is further illuminated through the lens of genre analysis, which offers insight into language use as a socio-cultural practice. Genre analysis seeks to explain how texts operate within socially recognized communicative purposes shared by discourse communities (Feuer, 2012; Gledhill, 2015; Fairclough, 1995; Bhatia, 1999; Konigsberg, 2007; Berkenttoter& Huckin, 2005). Each genre is characterized by conventionalized purposes that shape text patterns, while individual rhetorical strategies employed by writers or speakers serve to achieve these objectives without altering the genre classification. These strategies, although reflecting personal intent, function within the framework of socially recognized communicative goals (Moreno, 2022). Accordingly, spam messages can be understood as a distinct communicative genre designed to persuade recipients and facilitate fraud, operating within specific structural and rhetorical conventions.

In summary, spam messages are both a technological and linguistic tool, exploiting the affordances of the Internet to achieve fraudulent objectives. Understanding their rhetorical construction, the social practices surrounding their use, and the vulnerabilities they exploit is crucial for developing strategies to mitigate online fraud and protect users in an increasingly digital world.

2. Theoretical framework

 Aristotle’s conception of rhetoric has been chosen for this paper. He perceives appeals pathos (emotion), logos (reason) and ethos (credibility) as means of persuasion, but Aristotle failed to clarify the analytical procedures for persuasive communication (Higgins & Walker, 2019). Accordingly, researchers who made use of Aristotle’s theory of persuasion have constructed what can be referred to as ‘improved framework’ based on the phenomena of investigation.

 Pathos states emotional appeal and involves “putting the audience into certain frame of mind” (Demirdöğen, 2020, p. 190). It performs the role of persuasion by using security, love, guilt, greed, pity and humor (Gabrielsen & Christiansen, 2020); anger, insult, empathy, fear and confusion (Mshvenieradze, 2018). In order to achieve emotional appeals, the speaker must show identification with the “needs, values and desires of the audience” (Higgins & Walker, 2019, p. 198). Thus, the communicator should be good observer and appeal to the needs of the audience through the devices of social status, age and other features (Mshvenieradze, 2018).

 Al-Momani (2019) identified the following persuasive techniques which appeal to emotions: confessing, regretting, making pleas, promising, praising, and thanking. Al-Momani (ibid) explained that confession achieved by drawing on the audience’s sympathy, but praising and thanking work through manipulation of the audience’s feelings.

Logos is another form of rational appeal and persuasion usually carried out through, ‘the proof, or apparent proof, provided by the words of the speech itself” (Demirdöğen, 2020, p. 190). Thus, logos appeals to reason and it makes “clarity and integrity of the argument” very important (Higgins & Walker, 2019, p. 198).

In a rhetorical analysis, appeals to logos can be realized from the use of argumentation, logic, justification, claims, data, and evidence. These substances are germane components of logical, rational, critical and analytical discourse.

Ethos which is ethical appeal is usually directed to the personal character of the speaker (Demirdöğen, 2020). It refers to the “persona, projected character of a speaker or acommunicator, including their credibility and trustworthiness” (Higgins & Walker,

2019, p. 197).

3. Methodology

The data for this study came 100 scams retrieved within the span of six months August 2023 – February 2024. The identities of all participants were anonymous as they came from the Internet spam. The researcher solicited for the spam from friends and colleagues from their email boxes and read them in order to ascertain whether or not a piece of discourse belongs to any of the three persuasive items as contained in the theoretical framework before appropriate coding was done. 

These spam messages represent a tiny fraction of the spam received by the individuals. The spam messages were based on the general features identified in the study, notably the length, the greeting, and the offer.  The researcher does not propose that this set of messages is a representative sample of all possible variations of spam sent to a broad range of recipients. However, the researcher finds that the overall composition of the spam in the sample roughly reflects the composition of spam recorded in much larger studies (Åkesson et al. 1998).

As a starting point and for the purpose of coding, these messages were coded twice by three coders for subject, source of information, function, genre, format, subject line/body relationships, structure, addressee, signer, action desired, and tone. The coding results were cross-checked for inter-rater reliability.

 In the second reading the researcher examined the characters, the narratives and their function. Narrative analysis refers to the examination of those specific structures that are familiar to both the producer and the audience including patterns of character, setting and plot as well as symbolic elements.

This regard, the researcher examined the implied relationship between writer and reader, specifically the devices employed to dispel suspension or disbelief, the setting and characters in the story and plot or story line, the persona of the narrator, the basis of the appeal, the quest or task, the promised reward, and other elements. The letters were coded twice, by the coders and then verified for inter-rater reliability. The coded letters and their elements were then clustered around emerging themes or categories.

4. Data Presentation and Analysis

This aspect of the paper shows and presents genre analysis beyond pure linguistic description to deeper functional explanations. The analysis began with the presentations of the excerpts, followed by relevant explanations.

The spammers in the following excerpts alleged that they were bank officials, government officials, officials of cooperate entities, spouses or wards of wealthy political officer holders as in [1 – 5].

Excerpt (1)

I am writing to you from China Citic Bank International, Hong Kong to seek your help in something that will be beneficial to both of us. my names are Jim Su Yang I live and work here in China as a senior banker

Excerpt (2)

I am Rev. Paul Director cash United Bank for Africa the only bank for Africa appointed by the AU Chairperson Paul Kagami. Due to the ongoing fraud in WA countries where some innocent beneficiaries were asked to pay in advance before receiving their money. The above African union and IMF held a meeting in Benin pay all and resolved to pay all beneficiaries in cash through diplomatic courier service. The union has approved and appointed united bank for Africa to pay you the sum of 3.500 million dollars but due to the ongoing fraud in West Africa we have taken 2000 dollars from your fund for handling charges.

Excerpt (3)

Can I trust you? l know that this proposal will come to you as a surprise, I got your contact through the internet - due to serious searching for a reliable personality. I am Mr. Smith Harvey; I work as Banker in HSBC Bank London Kingdom.

Excerpt (4)

I am Ayesha Qaddafi. I am writing this mail with tears and sorrow from my heart. I have been passing through sorrowful moments since my father died. I got an urgent email from Oman Government who are tracing hidden deposits of my late father which I deposited in Burkina Faso I don’t want them of this particular fund 10.5 million dollars deposited in BIB Banquet international Du Burkina Faso. If you can be of assistance to me, kindly get back. I am willing to reward you bountifully with 50 % share.

Excerpt (5)

The Bank Manager has agreed to convert the money into ATM so that you can claim

To release the funds, the writers asked the victims to declare themselves as the rightful inheritors of the funds and the victims were promised some percentages of the funds as in [6 –8].

In excerpts (1 -), the spammers used logo as a rational appeal through the application of specific personals who controlled huge monies; the use of specific names, and addresses are apparent evidence to dispel from the mind of the target victims. 

Excerpt (6)

I am a trusted and honest businessman, I hope I will not be betrayed as the fund gets to your Bank Account. Moreover, it is risk free in the sense that I have taken proper care of all formalities regarding this transaction. For your assistance and co-operation, I havedecided to give you 40% of the total £ 14.7Million(Fourteen Million Seven Hundred Pounds) and %60 is for me as I come over to your house address

Excerpt (7)

… According to our bank records, Ms. Nazly Siregar was from Indonesia and she did not put any beneficiary at the time she made the deposit. All I want you to do is to cooperate with me so you can apply as the beneficiary of the deposit and claim the money from our bank

Excerpt (8)

I want you to help me retrieve this money for onward transfer to any designated bank account of your choice and I have mutually agreed to compensate you with 30% which is your share

The scammers created illusions of great wealth, or large sums which would be readily as in [9 – 10] through projecting the commentators as trustworthy and credible. In (6), we see the spammers used, ‘I am a trusted and honest businessman’ and the use of ‘All I want you to do is to cooperate with me… (7) are expressions of ethos.

Excerpt (9)

Mr. Bohdanko Dymtrus is a Ukrainian businessman. He died with his family during the war between Ukraine and Russia. He made a lot of money through the illegal sales of diamonds to the tune of £ 14.7Millionthat he deposited in our Bank (HSBC Bank) London Kingdom.

In (9), the spammer used the persuasion of pathos (empathy) to passage the message, (Gabrielsen & Christiansen, 2020). The use of, ‘he died’ is attract empathy from the targeted victim.

Excerpt (10)

…there is this huge amount of money (US$18 Millionwhich my late father deposited here in South Africa awaiting claim before he was assassinated by unknown persons during this war in Darfur Sudan.

The spammer made an appeal to the reader through the presentations of substance in the form of gold and cash to be claimed as the rightful owners could not be traced due to death which made the purported ownership not only safe but also realistic. The use of Ukraine and Darfur in [9 &10] which were epicenters of crises depicted the likelihood of the cases of assignations of the real owners of the wealth. In some cases, the victims were drawn and convinced of the authenticity of the proposals by the numerous documents bearing seemingly official addresses as in [11-12]. The use of ‘assassination by unknown persons’; ‘illegal sales of diamonds to the tune of £ 14.7Million’ are appeals to logos, (Demirdöğen, 2020, p. 190).

Excerpt (11)

HSBC BANK Westfield Stratford City, Layton Road, London Kingdom Tel/Fax....01547728216441547728216
WhatsApp Number.... +447464002601

Excerpt (12)

Address: Exxon Mobil Corporation U.S.A, #5959 Las Colinas Blvd, Irving, TX 75039, USA.

The supply of the addresses as presented above was to dissipate hypocrisy, and doubt and appeal to intellect of the recipients to avoid questioning the sources of the promise. The use of great cities such as London, in the UK and Texas in the USA indicates global investment hubs. Similarly, the countries offer friendly business environments which would facilitate the disbursements of any amount of funds. Accordingly, the recipients were more likely to believe the authenticity of the offers. Further, the spammer appeared to be offering some sort of help usually in monetary forms in the world most valuable currencies, but more often than not, they appeared to be scam to obtain personal information from the recipients. The spammers gave unduly long narratives, but inherently the essence was to retrieve personal information as in [12 – 14]. Thus, multiple appeals of logos and ethos are applied.

Excerpt (12)

…meanwhile, you are advised to reconfirm the following information on receipt of this message to avoid delivery to wrong person.

1. YOUR FULL NAMES: 2. Delivery Address: 3 Phone Number: 4. Cell Numbers: 5. Email Address: 6. Sex: 7. Age: 8. Occupation: 9. Country: 10. City: 11. Copy of Ur Passport or Id.

Excerpt (13)

Reply me through my private email address: mrs marylouis2022@aol.com

Excerpt (14)

Provide me with your information so I can send it to the bank as the new beneficiary and issue you a letter of authorization. FULL NAMES: SEX: ---AGE: ---MARITAL STATUS: --COUNTRY: --CONTACT ADDRESS: ---PHONE NO#---FAX NO#--OCCUPATION: ---

The scammers used the upper case for emphatic purpose. On the other hand, seeking for personal information using specifications may entail ascertaining the authenticity of the purported claims available for collections as wrongful release of the addresses may lead to the unreal transmission of the purported goods to the wrongful ownerships. Nonetheless, the senders knew that bank details could be obtained through vital sources as contained in cell phone contacts, emails, etc. It is culturally practiced especially in Africa to disclose to people including non-acquaintances basic information such as cell phone numbers, emailaddresses, etc. without exercising any fear of harm. Indeed, in many contexts, it signifies recognition, honor and popularity to unveil personal information to someone especially in public gatherings. In summary, these appeals logos, (Demirdöğen, 2020, p. 190). Thus, logos appeals to reason and it makes clarity and integrity of the argument very important

In some cases, the spam may apply the use of ‘confirmations’ of orders or preapproved applications as in [15 - 17] below.

Excerpt (15)

Finally, you have been considered as one of the victims of unpaid inheritance, lottery, contract payments funds owed for many years ago after promises from different corrupt individuals and organizations and so finally your prayers have been answered and you are hereby advised as a matter of urgency to contact the center, London, UK, Mr. Roland Peter through their London, official address below: Address: London EC1A, UNITED KINGDOM.

Excerpt (16)

Be informed that we have been authorized by the UN debt reconciliation to release your approved compensation and award of four million, five hundred US dollar however for security your compensation has been loaded in ATM VISA card and will enable you to have direct control over your funds.

Excerpt (17)

Following message received today from the USA State Department of the Treasury, under Reserve Bank of the USA, we hereby confirmed to you that we at the Comptroller of the Currency Washington will advise you to stop all further communication until you receive the release pin code from Mr. Chung lee Paul fraud and payments agents ATM Bank England.

There were instances in the data in which the letters contain the stories of promising and successful men working in multibillion dollars firms, but hadbeen wrongfully abused or persecuted as a result of political mishaps in their countries. In other situation, the solicitors presented stories about their spouses’ death, or currently having terminal diseases such as cancer and needed the recipients’ help in accessing the rightful inheritances, but these did not accurately reflect the actual intent of the letters as in [18 - 20]. The of pathos in the excerpts above is a strategy to persuade the reader.

Excerpt (18)

I am Mrs. Jean Gonzales, nationality of France. I was married to late Engr Mr. Harry Gonzales who works as a former Director of Controller on Importation and Exportation of Petroleum and Mineral Resources. My husband died on a fatal accidentwith his business colleague on one of their business trips to Philippines. And as a result of the shock in the death of my husband, my cancer sickness got worse. I and my late husband were married for years without a child. As I speak to you now, I have been diagnosed with cancer of the kidney… I feel that this money in the bank would be a waste if I die. So, this is why I have come to the conclusion of donating the fund out to the orphan children.

Excerpt (19)

Kindly read and respond. I am Mariam Ahmed, the wife of late Mohan Hassan Ahmed. My husband worked with Libyan national oil corporation, under the leadership of the late Head of State Mummar Gadaffi. My late husband died during the war that also leads to Muammur Gaddafi’s death. We were married for 30 years and Allah blessed us with a handsome son… While he stayed behind to protect our property, I discovered that both my lovely husband and son were dead …that was the most horrible and saddest day of my life as I tried to die and join them... Recently I was diagnosed of chondrosarcoma…

Excerpt (20)

I am Mrs. Mary Louis from London. I am 62 years old. I am suffering from a long-time cancer of the lungs which also affected my brain.From all indication my conditions are really deteriorating…may not live for the next two months. This is because the cancer stage has gotten to a very bad stage.

Due to their anonymity, and misfortunes orchestrated by natural disasters and awful deaths have been considered as powerful means of expressing logos and pathos appeals to the readers. Similarly, non-sociological factor such as gender was recognized as an instrument of deceit as some letters contained appeals to the recipients via the female gender. Consider the following phrases, ‘married to late Engr Mr. Harry Gonzales’, ‘Mrs. Mary Louis’, ‘the wife of late Mohan Hassan Ahmed’ comprises double appeals: logos, and ethos craftly framed to persuade the victims.

In addition to facing economic hardship and insecurity, widows across cultures may be subjected to stereotypes, prejudices and harmful treatments. Thus, for many women around the world especially Africa and Asia, the devastating loss of their partners is magnified by long term suffering and traditional practices.  The spammers were very much aware that the vulnerability of the women folks could the yardstick for the attractions of sympathies from care – givers usually the men folks.

Excerpt (21)

Hi! Dear Beloved! Dear Friend!

The use of ‘Hi’, ‘Dear Friend!’ implies the ‘intimacy’.  One would think that the letters were addressed to known personalities, but there were no plausible explanations on the reason for the selections of the recipients. As such, the letters evoke a sense of having been ‘chosen’ and that one has been deemed worthy of inclusion in a secretive, lucrative, and rare opportunity as a result of the relationship between the senders and the presumed recipients. These strategies were employed to dispel doubts and suspension from the recipients.

More often than not, the spammers use religion, righteousness, and divinity to invoke the recipients’ trust as in [22] and pain, agony, etc. as in [23].

Excerpt 22

I want you as God fearing person, to also use this money to fund church, mosque, orphanages and widows, I took this decision, before I rest in peace because my time will soon be up.

Excerpt 23

I am suffering from a long-time cancer of the lungs which also affected my brain… according to my doctors they have advised me that I may not live for the next two months. This is because the cancer stage has gotten to a very bad stage.

Excerpts [22 &23] contain divinity and use of disease. Humans generally are likely to succumb to the appeals to logo, as there are serious challenges are mentioned

 

5. Findings

Genre becomes a tool for deception, and internet frauds are disguised as ordinary communications which, at glance, take the shape of a recognizable form. The letters provide a high level of extraneous detail, presumably in order to increase believability and to establish an air of intimacy and encourage a response. Thus, the language in this genre of spam is usually ornate and pleading, with expressions crafted to sound ‘out of touch’, evoking the tone of a rich, isolated, and sheltered diplomat who is in exile.

 

6. Conclusions

The spam messages as analyzed in this paper are problematic in that they are written by communities of senders with varied education, purposes, etc. Thus, the analysis suggests that spam covers a range of genres, serving a wide range of purposes as there is more evidence to suggest that the spammers use memos, advertisements, letters, and announcements to appeal to the readers. This is one of the several reasons why the genre of spam is multidimensional. Accordingly, scholars need to understand that genre analysis needs to be understood   from multiple layers. Thus, spam genre is a tool for deceptions as fraudulent e-mails are   disguised and used as ordinary communications. A memo is a recognizable genre and common format of e-mail messages. The memo may in fact reveal itself to be an advertisement for a product when further analysis of its structural content is made, but at the same time, the memo-advertisement may in fact not be an advertisement at all. Its real purpose may be to harvest e-mail addresses and perpetrate frauds. The major finding reveals that the appeals to logo, pathos and ethos are all used extensively by the spammers in their epistles.

 

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