Dear participant, 

The following information is provided to inform you of the research project (IRB #25-305) that will be conducted by Dr. Katalin Parti.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: The purpose of this study is to investigate scam vulnerability and the availability of scam prevention resources among international students and scholars. We would like to invite you to participate in our study. Your responses will help us develop resources for the said communities. 

PROCEDURES: You are being asked to complete an online questionnaire. If you decide to participate, completing the survey will require about 15 minutes. The survey includes questions about demographic information, and explores vulnerabilities, access to scam prevention resources, support systems, communities, and scam victimization among international students and scholars. You will not be identified in any way, and your answers will remain confidential. There will be no way anyone will find out who you are or how you answered these questions. All results of this research will be reported in aggregate form so no individuals can be identified. In case you are interested in a follow-up interview, you can sign up for one, by providing your email address in the survey’s concluding part. Email addresses will be kept confidential and will only be used to set up an online interview date.  

CONFIDENTIALITY: The collected survey data will be made publicly available 5 years after the study closes. No identifiers will be included in the dataset, so no individuals can be identified. Typically, online surveys collect general information about the computer you are taking the survey on, including IP address and auto-geocaching features. These features have specifically been turned off to ensure anonymity in the survey. However, interview raw data (together with names and other personal data) will remain confidential and unpublished.

RISKS: This survey will ask you questions about your victimization and/or experiences with cyber scams. We believe this research poses no more than minimal risk. Sharing experiences of scam victimization may cause discomfort. 

BENEFITS: There is a societal benefit to increasing the understanding of the scope and scale of scam victimization of international students and scholars. We will use this information to develop prevention materials. 

COMPENSATION: There is no compensation for participation in this survey.

FREEDOM TO WITHDRAW: By agreeing to participate in the survey, you do not waive any rights that you may have regarding access to and disclosure of your records. Your participation in this survey is completely voluntary. If you choose to participate, your responses will be held in confidence. You are free to withdraw at any time without penalty. In addition, you also understand that you may skip questions you do not want to answer, except for mandatory blocks such as eligibility screening and demographic questions. Finally, if the results of this study are to be written for publication, no identifying information will be used.

APPROVAL OF RESEARCH: This study has been reviewed by Virginia Tech’s Institutional Review Board (IRB). The IRB has determined that this study meets the ethical obligations required by federal law and University policies. If you have questions or concerns regarding this study, please contact the Principal Investigator, Dr. Katalin Parti at kparti@vt.edu. If you have any questions regarding your rights as a research subject, please contact the Virginia Tech Institutional Review Board at irb@vt.edu or (540) 231-3732.

PARTICIPANT RESPONSIBILITY: You are responsible for answering the questions you choose to answer. If you have any questions or concerns about this research, please contact Dr. Katalin Parti at 540-231-6046 or kparti@vt.edu or by mail at 512 McBryde Hall (0137), 225 Stanger St, Blacksburg, VA, 24061.

PARTICIPANTS CONSENT: I have read and understood the Informed Consent Statement and conditions of this project. By selecting the “Next” button, you indicate that you understand and agree to participate in this study and that you meet the eligibility requirements.