Abstract
Mass marketing scams extract an enormous toll, yet the literature on scams is just emerging. In Experiment 1, 211 adults reviewed a solicitation and rated their intention of contacting an "activation number" for a prize. Scarcity and authority were manipulated. Many (48.82%) indicated some willingness to contact to "activate" the winnings. Intention of responding was inversely related to the perception of risk (b = -.441, p < .001) and positively associated with perception of benefits (b = .554, p < .001), but not with the experimental condition. In Experiment 2, 291 adults were randomly assigned to one of the three conditions (low, medium, or high activation fee), and were asked to report willingness to contact. Activation fees decreased intent to contact, but percentages remained high (25.70%), with higher perception of risk reducing contact rates (b = -.581, p < .001), and benefit perception increasing intent to contact (b = .381, p < .001). Our studies indicate that consumers are responding to perceived risks and benefits in their decision-making, regardless of persuasion elements used by scammers. In summary, our studies find that consumers with lower levels of education and high perception of benefits are at increased risk for mass marketing scams. (PsycINFO Database Record
DOI
10.1037/xap0000167
Publication Date
2018-06-01
Publication Title
Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied
Publisher
American Psychological Association
ISSN
1939-2192
Embargo Period
2024-11-22
Additional Links
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29683690
Recommended Citation
Wood, S., Liu, P., Hanoch, Y., Xi, P., & Klapatch, L. (2018) 'Call to claim your prize: Perceived benefits and risk drive intention to comply in a mass marketing scam.', Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, . American Psychological Association: Available at: https://doi.org/10.1037/xap0000167
