Journal Press India^®

Author Details ( * ) denotes Corresponding author

This study examines public awareness of digital fraud risks in the context of rising cybercrime, focusing on individuals in India. Using a structured questionnaire and analyzing responses, the research applies exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses alongside structural equation modeling to assess relationships among digital fraud awareness, technology usage behavior, and preventive actions. The findings reveal significant associations: awareness directly and indirectly influences risk perception and protective behaviors, mediated by technology use. Key disparities emerge based on age, education, and income, underlining the need for targeted, behaviorally informed awareness initiatives. The study advocates for dynamic and inclusive digital literacy programs tailored to local contexts. These efforts are essential to bridge knowledge gaps, promote responsible technology use, and reduce susceptibility to cyber threats.

Keywords

Digital fraud; Cybercrime awareness; Risk perception; Technology behavior; Preventive measures

1. Ali, S., Jiang, J. & Akhtar, P. (2021). Digital trust in biometric and AI-enabled banking: A consumer behavior perspective. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 167, 120710. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2021.120710
2. Anderson, R., Barton, C., Böhme, R., Clayton, R., van Eeten, M., Levi, M., … & Savage, S. (2013). Measuring the cost of cybercrime. In R. Böhme (Ed.), The economics of information security and privacy (pp. 265–300). Springer.
3. Arachchilage, N. A. G. & Love, S. (2014). Security awareness of computer users: A phishing threat avoidance perspective. Computers in Human Behavior, 38, 304–312. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2014.05.046
4. Bada, A., Sasse, M. A. & Nurse, J. R. C. (2015). Cybersecurity awareness campaigns: Why do they fail to change behaviour? Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.1901.02672
5. Bhate, K. (2023). A study on awareness about cyber security among the female university students. International Journal on Emerging Technologies, 14(2), 13–19.
6. Button, M., Lewis, C. & Tapley, J. (2014). Not a victimless crime: The impact of fraud on individual victims and their families. Security Journal, 27(1), 36–54. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1057/sj.2012.11
7. Button, M., Nicholls, C. M., Kerr, J. & Owen, R. (2014). Online frauds: Learning from victims why they fall for these scams. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Criminology, 47(3), 391–408. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1177/0004865814521224
8. Chua, C. E. H. & Wareham, J. (2004). Fighting internet auction fraud: An assessment and proposal. IEEE Computer, 37(10), 31–37. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1109/MC.2004.1 94
9. CISA. (2021). Social media cybersecurity awareness survey. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Retrieved from https://www.cisa.gov
10. Das, A. & Sharma, R. (2020). Cybersecurity policies in India: Evaluation and future directions. International Journal of Cyber Criminology, 14(1), 44–61. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3748271
11. Davinson, N. & Sillence, E. (2014). It won’t happen to me: Promoting secure behaviour among internet users. Computers in Human Behavior, 41, 299–308. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2014.09.047
12. ENISA. (2022). Cybersecurity awareness and education: Guidelines and best practices. European Union Agency for Cybersecurity. Retrieved from https://www.enisa.europa.eu
13. European Union (2019). Regulation (EU) 2019/881 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 April 2019 on ENISA (the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity) and on information and communications technology cybersecurity certification and repealing Regulation (EU) No 526/2013 (Cybersecurity Act). Official Journal of the European Union, 151, 15–69.
14. Florencio, D. & Herley, C. (2010). Where do security policies come from? Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1145/1837110.1837113
15. Furnell, S. & Clarke, N. (2012). Power to the people? The evolving recognition of human aspects of security. Computers and Security, 31(8), 983–988. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cose.2012.08.004
16. Furnell, S. & Thomson, K.-L. (2009). From culture to disobedience: Recognising the varying user acceptance of IT security. Computer Fraud & Security, 2009(2), 5–10. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/S1361-3723(09)70019-3
17. Gefen, D., Karahanna, E. & Straub, D. W. (2003). Trust and TAM in online shopping: An integrated model. MIS Quarterly, 27(1), 51–90. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.2307/300 36519
18. Greenberg, A. (2018). Sandworm: A new era of cyberwar and the hunt for the Kremlin’s most dangerous hackers. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group.
19. Hadlington, L. (2017). Human factors in cybersecurity: Examining the link between Internet addiction, impulsivity, attitudes towards cybersecurity, and risky cybersecurity behaviors. Heliyon, 3(7), e00346. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2017.e00346
20. Hofstede Insights. (2020). Country comparison: India. Retrieved from https://www.hofstede-insights.com/country-comparison/india/
21. Ifinedo, P. (2012). Understanding information systems security policy compliance: An integration of the theory of planned behavior and the protection motivation theory. Computers & Security, 31(1), 83–95. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cose.2011.10.007
22. Kumar, A. (2025). Consumer protection in the digital era: A critical analysis of legal safeguards against online shopping fraud. Research Review Journal of Social Science, 5(1), 199–206. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.31305/rrjss.2025.v05.n01.026
23. Kumar, R. & Sinha, R. (2021). Digital payments and cyber security: A user behavior analysis in India. Journal of Cyber Policy, 6(1), 78–96. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1080/23738 871.2021.1896043
24. Leukfeldt, E. R., Kleemans, E. R. & Stol, W. P. (2017). Cybercriminal networks, social ties and online forums: Social ties versus digital ties within phishing and malware networks. British Journal of Criminology, 57(3), 704–722. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1093/bjc/ azw009
25. Leukfeldt, R., Kleemans, E. & Stol, W. (2017). Cybercrime and social ties: Evidence from qualitative research in the Netherlands. European Journal of Criminology, 14(6), 697–715.
26. Lonkar, A., Dharmadhikari, S., Dharurkar, N., Patil, K. & Phadke, R. A. (2024). Tackling digital payment frauds: A study of consumer preparedness in India. Journal of Financial Crime, 32(2), 257–278. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1108/JFC-01-2024-0029
27. McGuire, M., & Dowling, S. (2013). Cyber-crime: A review of the evidence. Home Office Research Report 75. Retrieved from https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
28. Ngo, F. T., Jaishankar, K. & Shadmanfaat, S. M. (2021). Cybercrime victimization and preventative strategies: An international perspective. International Journal of Cyber Criminology, 15(1), 1–20. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4752456
29. OECD. (2021). Digital security and resilience: National approaches to awareness raising. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Retrieved from https://www.oe cd.org/sti/digital-security
30. Parsons, K., McCormac, A., Pattinson, M., Butavicius, M. & Jerram, C. (2017). The human aspects of information security questionnaire (HAIS-Q): Two further validation studies. Computers & Security, 66, 40–51. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cose.2017.01.004
31. Puhakainen, P. & Siponen, M. (2010). Improving employees’ compliance through information systems security training: An action research study. MIS Quarterly, 34(4), 757–778. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.2307/25750705 
32. Rogers, R. W. (1983). Cognitive and physiological processes in fear appeals and attitude change: A revised theory of protection motivation. In J. Cacioppo & R. Petty (Eds.), Social psychophysiology: A sourcebook (pp. 153–176). Guilford Press.
33. Sebastian, S. R., & Babu, B. P. (2022). Are we cyber aware? A cross-sectional study on the prevailing cyber practices among adults from Thiruvalla, Kerala. International Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health, 10(1), 235–239. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1 8203/2394-6040.ijcmph20223550
34. Sheng, S., Holbrook, M., Kumaraguru, P., Cranor, L. F. & Downs, J. (2010). Who falls for phish? A demographic analysis of phishing susceptibility and effectiveness of interventions. Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, 373–382. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1145/1753326.1753383
35. Singh, A. K. & Agarwal, K. K. (2025). An overview of digital payment frauds: Causes, consequences, and countermeasures. Journal of Informatics Education and Research, 5(1), 2297-2311.
36. Singh, R. & Saxena, V. (2020). Digital literacy and cyber fraud awareness in India: A rural-urban comparison. Journal of Cyber Policy, 5(2), 198–213. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10. 1080/23738871.2020.1763365
37. Symantec. (2017). Internet security threat report. Retrieved from https://docs.broadcom.com /doc/istr-22-2017-en?utm_source=chatgpt.com
38. Tiwari, V. & Tiwari, R. (2021). Online financial fraud: A study of awareness and prevention among bank customers in India. International Journal of Management, Technology and Social Sciences, 6(1), 57–66.
39. Van de Weijer, S. G. A., Leukfeldt, R. & Bernasco, W. (2019). Determinants of reporting cybercrime: A comparison between identity theft, consumer fraud, and hacking. European Journal of Criminology, 16(4), 486–508. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1177/14773708 18773610
40. Vishwanath, A., Herath, T., Chen, R., Wang, J. & Rao, H. R. (2011). Why do people get phished? Testing individual differences in phishing vulnerability within an integrated information processing model. Decision Support Systems, 51(3), 576–586.
41. Wang, Y., Dufresne, A. & Rees, L. (2012). Understanding online scams: A behavioral decision model. Journal of Consumer Affairs, 46(3), 572–593. Retrieved from https://doi.org/ 10.1111/joca.2012.46 .issue-3
42. Workman, M., Bommer, W. H. & Straub, D. (2008). Security lapses and the omission of information security measures: A threat control model and empirical test. Computers in Human Behavior, 24(6), 2799–2816. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2008.04. 005