The relentless expansion of the Internet is in the process of radically transforming the spheres of work, consumption, leisure, and politics. However, what is often referred to as cyberspace—the realm of computerized interaction—seems to offer a vast range of potentially criminal acts, both old and new, where the Internet is the conduit of crime. This entry focuses on Internet fraud; its definition and scale; types of fraud, trends, theoretical explanations, and legal issues; and future developments for combating it.

Before progressing, some clarification is needed on what is meant by Internet fraud. It is difficult to define fraud, particularly in an international context, but one common theme crosses international jurisdictions: Fraud will include some act of deception. This deception can involve withholding information and/or providing incorrect ...