Preparing and Protecting Users Against Fraud: An Evaluation of Anti-Fraud Messaging and Trust Mechanisms Within Consumer-to-Consumer Online Marketplaces in the Context of the UK’s Online Fraud Charter 2023
European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research
Published online on February 20, 2026
Abstract
{"p"=>{"__content__"=>"This study uses netnographic methods to explore how consumer-to-consumer (C2C) online marketplaces in the United Kingdom use trust to mitigate the risk of fraud in light of the implementation of the UK’s Online Fraud Charter 2023. This study shows how C2C marketplaces work, what trust mechanisms they use, how fraudsters may leverage them, and what, if any, measures they take to reduce the threat of fraud. It considers some of the market conditions that may preclude marketplaces from implementing proactive and actions. In sum, while this study shows that all Charter signatories operating C2C marketplaces have not implemented the observable measures, other C2C marketplaces have developed mechanisms to mitigate the threat of fraud in line with the Charter’s measures and objectives, which should be implemented more widely, monitored, and revised if online companies are abiding by their corporate social responsibility.", "i"=>[{"__content__"=>"protect"}, {"__content__"=>"prepare"}]}}