Scamming the poor

Fraudulent loans in Mexico

Bibliographic Data

ID12937840
AuthorsTuur Ghys (0000-0003-4582-5578, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León), Yessica Elizabet Llanes-García (Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León)
Year2024
Volume33
Issue2
Pages121-138
Publication date2024-07-04
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Poverty and Social Justice (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1759-8273 • E-ISSN: 1759-8281
PublisherPolicy Press (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1332/17598273y2024d000000023
OpenAlexW4400311066
LanguageEN
References cited19

This article examines the practice of fraudulent informal loans given to vulnerable groups in Mexico, and connects these malpractices to the structural (re)production of poverty. The scams resolve around fake credit companies offering loans to people in need on the condition that they pay a deposit, after which contact is broken. After locating scams within broader discussions on vulnerability, poverty and credit, an empirical study is presented based on 35 interviews with victims. Results are presented regarding the reasons why people fall in these traps, how they are cause and consequence of vulnerability, and the difficulties of prosecution. The conclusions reflect on the role of such traps within the production of poverty, the relative invisibility of these crimes, and the topic of legal protection and prosecution

Business · Financial system · Crime, Illicit Activities, and Governance · Microfinance and Financial Inclusion · Urban and Rural Development Challenges

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