CYBERCRIMES IN THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ERA: A MIX OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY AND SOCIAL ENGINEERING CONCEPTS

Abstract

COVID-19 pandemic has placed more emphasis on digital telecommunications in the conduct of the
individual, corporate and government businesses. However, cybercriminals are exploiting the
obscurity offered by web-based communications to commit crimes and lure youngsters into illicit
carnal activities. This paper established a pattern of online crimes perpetration, induced by the
situational factors of the pandemic that may assist corporate governance in tackling cybercrimes in
future crises. The study used deductive and inductive coding with a themed analysis of the datasets
that cut across various sectors of the global economy. An R-based qualitative data analysis (RQDA)
tool was used for the storage and analysis of the datasets. 152 text-based documents were analysed for
the research. 45 random samples of the input documents were coded, aggregated and abstracted by an
independent arbiter, and the result compared with the researchers' output, to improve analytical
triangulation and enhance validity and reliability of the experimental outcomes. Content analysis was
performed using the statistical functions of the RQDA. Results showed a 226% rise in cybercrime
activities sequel to the outbreak of the pandemic just as three of the several organisations targeted by
cyber fraudsters made up over 70% of the total number of occurrences. These results revealed the use
of a mix of social engineering and other psychosocial techniques by cybercriminals in their exploits.
Further studies may, therefore, consider the contributory effects of each of these techniques on
cybersecurity as a means of broadening empirical knowledge on this subject.