Fraud, Cybercrime and Ageing in the UK and South Korea
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Portsmouth
Department Name: Institute of Criminal Justice Studies
Abstract
Fraud and cybercrime, through a wide variety of genres, have become some of the most common crimes individuals experience and such is the scale of the problem, RUSI (a highly respected think tank) have described it as a threat to national security. Older adults represent promising targets for criminals because they are often cash rich with pensions, lump sums, life savings. Many also have traits that increase the chances of victimisation: cognitive decline; social isolation; a lack of capable guardian to protect them. The pandemic has also meant many older adults have spent more time at home and online, contributing to increased victimisation.
The growing use of digital technologies has been a huge benefit in many areas of social and economic life, but has also opened up new risks. Access and usage of the internet is no longer limited to the younger, tech-savvy population. The ONS (2021b) reported the proportion of those aged 75 years between 2013 and 2020 reporting recent internet use has nearly doubled from 29%, to 54% in 2020. However, despite their gradual familiarisation with information technologies, it is argued that older adults can often be vulnerable to cybercrime risks. The problem of fraud and cybercrime against older adults has stimulated a wide range of initiatives around the world to attempt to address this problem, but there has been surprisingly little research charting initiatives to counter such crimes and virtually none that has evaluated preventative initiatives using high quality methodologies (Prenzler, 2020). Juxtaposed to these developments has been the advanced technological developments associated with the so called '4th Industrial Revolution' (4IR). Some of the technologies associated with 4IR are already being utilised to prevent fraud and cybercrime, such as the use of data-analytics to counter banking frauds (Kim et al., 2019).
This project seeks to build a network of researchers in the UK and South Korea interested in fraud and cybercrime against older adults. It will do this by conducting research using desk-based strategies and interviews mapping the strategies used to counter fraud/cybercrime against older adults in the UK and South Korea; any evidence of their effectiveness; and to explore the potential for technology to be better utilised.
The project will build the network through two seminars and two conferences held in the respective countries. The first will bring together academics from the two countries (and others where appropriate) who have explored this area, with relevant practitioners and technology companies (including early career researchers where possible). These seminars will explore initiatives and potential ideas to tackle these crimes and enable participants to network. They will also seek to identify how technology could be better utilised to prevent fraud and cybercrime against older adults. The final conferences will be used to present the findings from the project, showcase good examples; as well as enable wider networking for participants, further strengthening academic networks between the two countries.
The investigators will produce a research report and other high-quality outputs, which will also facilitate another objective of the project to produce a website with resources of use to academics, students and others interested in this area. It will contain a repository of relevant articles, reports, publications; descriptions of emerging technologies and their potential; links to relevant websites; the research report and recordings from the conferences; and profiles of key members of the academy with an interest in this area. These activities are envisaged to form the basis of a longer partnership of Anglo-Korean scholars interested in economic crime issues.
The growing use of digital technologies has been a huge benefit in many areas of social and economic life, but has also opened up new risks. Access and usage of the internet is no longer limited to the younger, tech-savvy population. The ONS (2021b) reported the proportion of those aged 75 years between 2013 and 2020 reporting recent internet use has nearly doubled from 29%, to 54% in 2020. However, despite their gradual familiarisation with information technologies, it is argued that older adults can often be vulnerable to cybercrime risks. The problem of fraud and cybercrime against older adults has stimulated a wide range of initiatives around the world to attempt to address this problem, but there has been surprisingly little research charting initiatives to counter such crimes and virtually none that has evaluated preventative initiatives using high quality methodologies (Prenzler, 2020). Juxtaposed to these developments has been the advanced technological developments associated with the so called '4th Industrial Revolution' (4IR). Some of the technologies associated with 4IR are already being utilised to prevent fraud and cybercrime, such as the use of data-analytics to counter banking frauds (Kim et al., 2019).
This project seeks to build a network of researchers in the UK and South Korea interested in fraud and cybercrime against older adults. It will do this by conducting research using desk-based strategies and interviews mapping the strategies used to counter fraud/cybercrime against older adults in the UK and South Korea; any evidence of their effectiveness; and to explore the potential for technology to be better utilised.
The project will build the network through two seminars and two conferences held in the respective countries. The first will bring together academics from the two countries (and others where appropriate) who have explored this area, with relevant practitioners and technology companies (including early career researchers where possible). These seminars will explore initiatives and potential ideas to tackle these crimes and enable participants to network. They will also seek to identify how technology could be better utilised to prevent fraud and cybercrime against older adults. The final conferences will be used to present the findings from the project, showcase good examples; as well as enable wider networking for participants, further strengthening academic networks between the two countries.
The investigators will produce a research report and other high-quality outputs, which will also facilitate another objective of the project to produce a website with resources of use to academics, students and others interested in this area. It will contain a repository of relevant articles, reports, publications; descriptions of emerging technologies and their potential; links to relevant websites; the research report and recordings from the conferences; and profiles of key members of the academy with an interest in this area. These activities are envisaged to form the basis of a longer partnership of Anglo-Korean scholars interested in economic crime issues.
Publications
Button M
(2024)
Preventing fraud victimisation against older adults: Towards a holistic model for protection
in International Journal of Law, Crime and Justice
Button M
(2025)
Policing cross-border fraud 'Above and below the surface': mapping actions and developing a more effective global response
in Crime, Law and Social Change
Hock B
(2025)
The profile and detection of bribery in South Korea
in Crime, Law and Social Change
| Description | A key objective of the project was to: secure greater knowledge on strategies and tools used in the UK and Korea to counter the principal frauds and cybercrime against older adults and any evidence on their effectiveness. The project mapped the measures used to prevent fraud and cybercrime against older adults in the applicants' countries and others where innovative methods were found. Around 75 different types of products, tools and strategies have been noted and a database of these has been published. A variety of strategies have also been identified that use some of the latest technologies associated with the 'fourth industrial revolution', particularly in South Korea, although interestingly not many and not yet widely used. Several interesting findings arose from this analysis. First, technology was not used extensively or even widely available for individuals for prevention, although there were interesting products in development at an early stage. The most common strategies were non-tech built around awareness raising measures. Second, in South Korea there was less prevention pursued in comparison to the UK. Third, the police were not the most significant actors in promoting fraud prevention, NGOs, companies and banks were more important. A wide range of preventative strategies were found and the researchers developed a model for the prevention of fraud against older adults, integrating all relevant measures applied at the individual, at the community level law enforcement and NGOS potential tools for prevention, and at banking/tech company level measures; with all integrated through a model partnership (see https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijlcj.2024.100672 ). Another key finding was few high-quality evaluations of the effectiveness of measures to prevent fraud against individuals. The researchers conducted a survey of professionals combined with interviews to seek their views on the most effective strategies and found a number of initiatives were rated highly, such as third-party interventions by banks, fraud awareness training and telephone call blockers (paper under review). Another objective was to facilitate greater cooperation among UK and South Korean researchers. In undertaking this research there were also two seminars and conferences held in the UK and South Korea, involving five UK academics traveling to South Korea and 7 Korean researchers travelling to the UK substantially increasing interest and partnerships between the countries. An Anglo-Korean Security, Cybercrime and Economic Crime Academic Network has been created with 16 members to cement longer term links. MoUs have also been signed between the University of Portsmouth with two Korean universities and a Korean tech company, Lava Wave. The latter illustrates the interest the findings have generated in tech companies in Korea. The links enabled through the grant have also stimulated some other papers not directly linked to the objectives of this project. One paper has been published exploring potential global responses to cross-border frauds (https://doi.org/10.1007/s10611-024-10186-2) and another on bribery in Korea (https://doi.org/10.1007/s10611-025-10201-0) . There are still publications in the pipeline for this project and the Security Journal is also hosting a special edition on fraud, older adults, technology and prevention, which will be published in late 2025. |
| Exploitation Route | There are a number of areas where the activities and research findings from this project are and can be used. First the research on tools and strategies to prevent fraud against older adults, combined with views on effectiveness can be used by practitioners to better develop strategies to prevent fraud against this group. There has already been interest in the UK among police networks of officers focused upon the protect function related to fraud. The list of prevention activities identified can also be used by other researchers seeking to explore this area. The MoUs signed with the company Lava Wave and Hallym university were also very tech focused and it is envisaged the UK researchers will work closely with them in the future in developing more tech orientated solutions to tackle fraud and cybercrime. The network established for this project is also open to other researchers who wish to develop in this area. The project has led to links with new contacts and universities in Korea and the potential participation - if successful - in some very large research projects related to cybercrime. It has also stimulated further ideas, with a research bid on disruption of fraud planned. |
| Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy Financial Services and Management Consultancy Healthcare Government Democracy and Justice |
| URL | https://www.port.ac.uk/research/research-projects/anglo-korean-security-cybercrime-economic-crime-academic-network |
| Description | It is still early to report impact from the project as the first outputs were only published in 2024. The article that identified a model for the prevention of fraud has been distributed among the UK police fraud protect network and these are the officers who have responsibility for fraud prevention, generating some interest from some to the authors. The findings from this article have also been highlighted as Best Practice on the Global Anti-Scam Alliance website https://www.gasa.org/post/tackling-scams-against-older-adults-a-model-response . In South Korea legislation is currently passing through their parliament in the form of a Fraud Prevention Bill. The conferences hosted in Korea have influenced some of these proposals and Professor Joon Bae Suh has been advising the Government on this issue too and although the legislation has not yet passed is hopeful some of outcomes will build upon research from this project. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2025 |
| Sector | Financial Services, and Management Consultancy |
| Impact Types | Policy & public services |
| Description | Model for prevention of fraud against older adults adopted as best practice |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Implementation circular/rapid advice/letter to e.g. Ministry of Health |
| URL | https://www.gasa.org/post/tackling-scams-against-older-adults-a-model-response |
| Title | Fraud prevention products/initiatives directed at older adults |
| Description | This database includes examples of products and initiatives directed at preventing fraud against older adults. Some of these are specific to older adults, others more generic but related to frauds many older adults are victims of. The database is based largley on the UK and Korea, but where examples were found in other countries which were considered to be useful they were added. There were a numbr of USA examples added. Not every product has been added as for some there are multiple companies providing them. Rather one or two were added to illustrate the product. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2025 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Too early to note. |
| URL | https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1TqoZiKhT-_wNz2iF77kp6CBh5MEuHP6aG3g5vE2EHdM/edit?usp=sharing |
| Description | Creation of Anglo-Korean Security, Cybercrime and Economic Crime Academic Network (AKSCECAN) |
| Organisation | Korean National Police University |
| Country | Korea, Republic of |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Directly as a result of this grant and the activities undertaken under it participants resolved to create a network called the Anglo-Korean Security, Cybercrime and Economic Crime Academic Network (AKSCECAN). The aims of this is: to conduct research on security, cybercrime and economic crime in the UK and Korea; to work together on joint research projects; to bid for funding together to facilitate research projects; to publish research together to host regular events in the two countries to which members of the network are invited both in-person and online; to encourage greater partnerships between relevant UK and South Korean universities; and to encourage student and staff exchanges. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The original 4 grant holders have been joined by another 12 academics from the Korea and the UK in this network and we are open for further members to join this group. The members are also drawn more widely with members from Bristol University, Cardiff University, Surrey University and the University of Ulsan, as well as some active researchers in this area from civil society. |
| Impact | We propose to hold future events under this network and the special edition of Security Journal planned as a result of this grant has been developed by targeting members in this network and encouraging them to submit papers. We hope to do more of this work under the auspices of this network. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Hallym University, University of Portsmouth Partnership |
| Organisation | Hallym University |
| Country | Korea, Republic of |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | On the trip to Korea the UK delegation met staff from Hallym University. Following on from the trip and several meetings staff from the University of Portsmouth have agreed to a staff-based collaboration for research projects and exchanges of research visits and talks. As this relationship develops there are likely to be further activities between Portsmouth and Hallym. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Hallym are keen to establish staff student exchanges and to develop a research project based around articifical intelligence and the prevention of fraud. |
| Impact | Staff/student exchange, joint working on research project and partnership agreement planned. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Partnership with Prof. Hyeonho Park, Dept. of Police Science, Yong In University, South Korea |
| Organisation | Yong In University |
| Country | Korea, Republic of |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | As a result of the seminar held in Seoul Dr Branislav Hock (part of the UK delegation) and Professor Mark Button have begun working on a research project with Prof. Hyeonho Park, Dept. of Police Science, Yong In University, South Korea on a profile of bribetakers and bribemakers in South Korea. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Dr Hock and Professor Button are advising the Koreans on the collection of data, the analysis of it with a view to writing an article on this and submitting a research bid to explore corruption in Korea in greater depth. |
| Impact | This is the early stage and at this point there is just data-collection. The next stage will be analysis and writing of the article and then attempts to secure further funding. An MoU has been signed between the University of Portsmouth and Yong In University. |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Partnership with Professor Jion Kim Korean National Police University |
| Organisation | Korean National Police University |
| Country | Korea, Republic of |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Professor Mark Button and Dr Vasileios Karagiannopoulos met Professor Kim on their first vist to Korea who is an expert in cybercrime. He is preparing a major funding bid to the Korean Government related to cybercrime. Professor Button and Dr Karagiannopoulos have helped him with some preparatory work in the bid and expect to be part of the consortium that will submit later in 2024 which is expected to be £5 million plus for all members. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Professor Mark Button and Dr Vasileios Karagiannopoulos wrote a brief on reporting mechanisms and sources of advice and support in the UK which forms part of Professor Kim's preparation for the bid to be submitted later in 2024. |
| Impact | Outputs will be the bid later this year. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | First International Conference on Counter Fraud |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | In the final event of this project in Seoul in 2023 in November an international conference on countering fraud was organised by the Korean National Police with speakers from USA, Australia, UK, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Jordan to name some. The researchers used the grant for five UK academics to travel to this conference including Professor Mark Button, Dr Vasileios Karagiannopoulos, Dr Branislav Hock (ECR), Dr Paul Gilmour (ECR) and Dr Elisabeth Carter from Kingston University. This was a prestigious conference over two days in which all the UK delegation gave plenary speeches. Professor Button gave the main keynote address. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Fraud, Cybercrime and Ageing in the UK and Korea Seminar Hosted in Portsmouth, UK |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | 23 academics and practitioners from the UK, Korea, Australia and the USA engaged in a seminar titled "Fraud, Cybercrime and Ageing in the UK and Korea" on the 16th June 2022. The seminar explored the problems of fraud and cybercrime in the UK and Korea, examined emerging solutions to deal with the problem and highlighted research from some leading academics that have explored this issue. The seminar featured three Korean experts who travelled to the seminar under the funding of the project: Dr Joon B. Suh, Korean National Police University ; Dr Jeyong Jung, University of Ulsan; and Joonwon Chang, (Consultant Specialising in Cybercrime). Other academics were invited to attend with an interest in this area, as well as practitioners and companies developing technology in this area. The seminar encouraged discussion between participants and there were plenty of networking opportunities to enable participants, particularly those from academia to develop relationships with practitioners. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Participation in Conference Fraud, Cybercrime and Ageing in the UK and Korea held in Portsmouth on June 13, 2023. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | In June 2023 in Portsmouth some of the findings from the project were presented at a conference along with other speakers on fraud and ageing to over 60 academics and practitioners in attendance. The grants was used to bring Dr Joon Bae Suh (Korean National Police University), Dr Jeyong Jung (University of Ulsan), Dr Koh Cholsoo (Korean Financial Crime Prevention Association) and Superintendent Dongkyu Lee from the Korean National Police. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Participation in Second International Conference on Counter Fraud |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | In 2024 following on from the first international conference in 2023, the Korean National Police Agency invited and paid the expenses for Professor Mark Button and Dr Elisabeth Carter to attend the second international conference in 2024. This included numerous side meeting with key agencies, delegations from other countries, academics and companies. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Participation in seminar "Ageing and Counter Fraud" in Seoul at the Korean National Parliament |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | The Korean National Police University were able to host a seminar on "Ageing and Counter Fraud" at the National Parliament of Korea on the 1st November 2023. Fraud has become a major problem in Korea with legislative solutions being developed. Fraud against older adults through voice phishing scams have become a major problem. The prominence of the issue enabled the National Police University to host the seminar at their parliament including 3 congressmen who attended along with senior police officers and academics from Korean universities. Through the grant both Professor Mark Button and Dr Vasileios Karagiannopoulos attended this event and spoke. Two other UK based academics also attended funded from the project: Dr Branislav Hock from the University of Portsmouth (also an ECR) and Dr Elisabeth Carter from Kingston University. The seminar enabled senior policy makers in Korea to listen to the UK experience on tackling fraud against older adults and to listen to some of Korean academic's research in this area. This event also enabled networking with other Korean academics beyond the grant investigators. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |