Mental health and psychosocial sequelae of fraud victimization: a systematic review
Jie Bai, Mei-Hsin Ho, Hsiang-Te Sung, Chuan-Sheng Hung, Jui‐Hsiu Tsai · Frontiers in Psychology · 2026
Fraud victimization is an increasingly prevalent global problem that extends beyond financial loss, and encompasses substantial mental health and psychosocial harm. Deception, emotional manipulation, and perceived betrayal have been linked to anxiety, depression, shame, trust erosion, and reduced quality of life. Despite these effects, the psychological consequences of fraud victimization remain under-recognized within healthcare and victim support systems. This systematic review synthesizes empirical evidence of mental health and psychosocial outcomes among adults following fraud or scam victimization. A systematic literature search was conducted in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines across four electronic databases (PubMed, OVID, Web of Science, and Embase) from inception to December 31, 2025. Empirical quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods studies examining post-victimization mental health or psychosocial outcomes among adult fraud victims were included. Studies exclusively exploring fraud risk, susceptibility, or financial and legal outcomes without assessing the psychological effects of post-victimization were excluded. Owing to heterogeneity in study designs and outcome measures, the findings were synthesized using a narrative approach. Twenty-one studies met the inclusion criteria. Across diverse populations, fraud types, and cultural contexts, fraud victimization was associated with adverse mental health outcomes, including elevated anxiety, depression, psychological distress, shame, self-blame, and diminished quality of life. Psychological harm frequently persisted beyond the resolution of financial losses and was more strongly associated with emotional manipulation, perceived betrayal, and interpersonal trust erosion than with the magnitude of financial loss alone. This systematic review demonstrates that fraud victimization is associated with substantial and enduring mental health and psychosocial sequelae. The findings support reframing fraud victimization as a public mental health concern and underscore the need to integrate trauma-informed and psychosocial care into fraud responses and victim support services. Future research should prioritize longitudinal and intervention studies to elucidate recovery trajectories and inform effective mental health responses for fraud victims.