Title:   LANGUAGE AND SCAMMERS: PERSUASIVE STRATEGIES IN SCAM WHATSAPP PLATFORMS

Abstract
The domain of internet scams is increasing on daily basis with technological advancement. As a result, the breadth and mode of operation of internet scams necessitate constant and ongoing research. In a recent development, WhatsApp, one of the popular social networking sites, has become commonplace for scammers to harvest potential victims. This study, therefore, provides an in-depth case study on the linguistic techniques deployed to entice, convince and persuade victims in successful WhatsApp platform scams. 400 messages which were purposively collected from four successful scam WhatsApp platforms between 2020 and 2021 were used for the study. Guided by the deceptive techniques of Dyrud (2005) and Manson (2011), seven persuasive elements were identified out of which sharing testimonies ranked highest because it allows the scammers to establish trust by providing proof of credibility, showcasing exclusive benefits and soliciting victims to try the scam. These strategies enable scammers to mask their deceptive intentions while exploiting the weakness of people, especially in the face of unfavourable economic conditions. Therefore, individuals must have an adequate understanding of these strategies to prevent or reduce chances of falling victim to the scam.
Keywords: Language, Persuasive Strategies, Scammers, WhatsApp Platform Scam

Citations:

Publication Date: 2023-04-05