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An increase in informal job advertisements has been attributed to high unemployment. However, less scholarly attention has been placed on the experiences of victims of advertised job scams.

This explorative study investigates the lived experiences of victims of advertised job scams in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria, adopting Durkheim’s Functionalism and Anomie Theory. Around 35 victims were purposively engaged in in-depth and telephone interviews.

The findings of the study indicated the link between functionalism and anomie, an increasing rate of advertised job scams and a high rate of unemployment and poverty as well as the desperation of victims in getting jobs. The value orientation of an individual is determined by the dynamics of the social institutions. The pattern of job scammers revealed extremists conditioned by the large number of youths seeking employment. The advertised scam jobs are usually unavailable. In addition, employers, through informal job advertisements, subject victims to extortions, exploitation, street begging, kidnapping and rituals as well as sexual harassment and rape. Owing to the high rate of unemployment, many genuine job offers are characterised by bribes, besides trivializing merit.

The government should design measures to tackle the rate of corruption and unemployment. This can be achieved by introducing entrepreneurship and skill acquisition programmes in the nation’s education system.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between online banking fraud experience and fear of cybercrime and distrust of online banking services, and to understand how perceived usefulness of online banking moderates the relationship.

The number of respondents involved in this study was 271 people from the Central Java region, Indonesia. Statistical analysis was performed using Jeffreys’s Amazing Statistics Program software to examine the relationships and interactions between the variables studied.

Experience of online banking fraud is positively related to fear of cybercrime and distrust of online banking services. Perceived usefulness of online banking moderates the relationship between online banking fraud experience and fear of cybercrime and distrust of digital payments. Perceived usefulness is negatively related to the level of distrust of online banking services.

Overall, the implications of this study underscore the importance of dealing with the risks of cybercrime in online banking services. By focusing on security, user awareness and the role of perceived usefulness, banking service providers can create a safer and more trusting environment for users of online banking services. This also contributes to the development of more innovative services and can increase customer satisfaction and trust.

The practical application of these findings is important for financial institutions and online banking service providers. Companies must improve cybersecurity with the latest technology and provide education about online security practices. Transparent communication and better customer service will help overcome customer fears. Compliance with security regulations and technological innovation is also important to protect online banking services. With these steps, customer security and trust can be improved, and the adoption of online banking services will increase widely.

The social implications of this research are increasing public awareness about cybersecurity, consumer protection and strengthening trust in online banking services. With joint efforts, a safer and more trusting environment in using online banking services can be realized.

The originality of this research lies in the use of perceived usefulness of online banking as a moderating variable to reduce the negative impact of online banking fraud experience. With a focus on the psychological effects of customers experiencing fraud, this research seeks to rebuild trust and improve the security of online banking services.