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Uncovering the Hidden Face of Affinity Fraud
Race-Based Predatory Bias, Social Identity, and the Need for Inclusive Leadership
AUDREY MURRELL, RAY JONES, and JENNIFER PETRIE
Affinity fraud is often described as exploiting group trust based on shared affiliations or common social characteristics, such as race, religion, ethnicity, age, or professional designation, for the purpose of financial advantage or gain (Perri & Brody, 2012). In affinity fraud, an offender uses identification with a targeted group to gain the trust of group members. Because social identity plays a central role, fraudulent or unethical practices can spread quickly due to positive feelings of affinity among individuals. Some argue that the impact of affinity-based ...
