The increase in online enticement has led to law enforcement agencies engaging in more proactive policing through undercover chat sting operations. We aimed to identify the topics and communication strategies triggering suspicion in chats between law enforcement officers and offenders and why those topics do not result in suspicion in victim-offender conversations. We conducted a thematic analysis identifying: (1) how LEOs trigger suspicion, (2) how offenders communicate suspicion, (3) how LEOs attempt recovery from suspicion, and (4) how these triggers were present but did not trigger suspicion in victim-offender chats. We examined 20 LEO-offender chats and 20 victim-offender chats from US ICAC task forces. We identified four themes that triggered suspicion: risk assessment by the LEO's persona, LEO avoidance measures, details related to the offense and evidence, and proof of identity of chat participants. Offender responses to triggers revealed three themes: discomfort navigating boundaries and uncertainty, risk identification, and risk mitigation. Themes for the LEO's responses to suspicion included: risk assessment for chatters, issues with technology, appeasement, and negative emotional reactions. Finally, juxtaposing triggers onto minor-offender chats yielded four themes: explicit boundary setting, victim risk assessment, deep relationship forming and disclosures, and technology issues. This study has implications for law enforcement agencies seeking to reduce suspicion and risk assessment by offenders during internet sting operations.

中文翻译：

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你是警察吗？：识别与在线诱骗者在线聊天操作中的嫌疑


在线诱惑的增加导致执法机构通过卧底聊天诱骗行动更加积极主动地开展治安工作。我们的目的是确定在执法人员和犯罪者之间的聊天中引发怀疑的话题和沟通策略，以及为什么这些话题不会在受害者与犯罪者的对话中引起怀疑。我们进行了主题分析，确定：(1) LEO 如何引发怀疑，(2) 犯罪者如何表达怀疑，(3) LEO 如何尝试从怀疑中恢复，以及 (4) 这些触发因素如何存在但没有引发受害者的怀疑 -罪犯聊天。我们检查了来自美国 ICAC 工作组的 20 个 LEO 与犯罪者聊天记录和 20 个受害人与犯罪者聊天记录。我们确定了四个引发怀疑的主题：LEO 角色的风险评估、LEO 规避措施、与犯罪和证据相关的详细信息以及聊天参与者的身份证明。罪犯对触发因素的反应揭示了三个主题：在边界和不确定性中感到不适、风险识别和风险缓解。 LEO 对怀疑的回应主题包括：对闲聊的风险评估、技术问题、绥靖和负面情绪反应。最后，将触发器并置到未成年犯罪者的聊天中产生了四个主题：明确的边界设置、受害者风险评估、深层关系的形成和披露以及技术问题。这项研究对于执法机构在互联网诱骗行动中寻求减少犯罪者的怀疑和风险评估具有重要意义。