27.08.2025
2 min
502
In Ghana, cybercrime groups known as “Sakawa Pairs” are defrauding British and American women through online romances, explaining their crimes as “digital compensation” for their colonial past and the exploitation of their ancestors.
According to the investigation, the fraudsters create fake Facebook profiles posing as white men – soldiers, bankers or government officials. They spend months building emotional relationships, inventing stories of illness or tragedy, and eventually tricking victims into handing over tens or even hundreds of thousands of pounds.
These “fraud academies”, which the criminals themselves call “hustle kingdoms”, teach young people manipulation techniques. In some cases, the groups work together to build trust and continue the deception. Often, the fraudsters appeal to historical injustice: “they took our gold and people, we are returning the resources with computers”.
Middle-aged women are the most vulnerable: even after being exposed, they tend to believe that the criminals “needed the money more” and do not report the fraud to the police. The psychological and financial toll on victims is extensive and long-lasting.
Ghana was a colony of the British Empire since 1874 and was nicknamed the “Gold Coast” due to the massive export of gold, and also became one of the centers of the transatlantic slave trade. The country gained independence in 1957, but its colonial history is still used as a moral justification by fraudsters.
Today, Ghana is among the world leaders in cybercrime, and West Africa has become the new center of online fraud. In August alone, Interpol carried out a large-scale operation, arresting more than 1,200 suspects in 18 countries and recovering more than £73 million.
The phenomenon of “Sakawa guys” demonstrates how the historical trauma of colonialism is being transformed into justifications for modern cybercrime. For Ghana, this has become not only a criminal problem but also a social challenge: fraudsters rationalize fraud as an act of “digital revenge,” and victims, overcome by emotional dependence, are often left defenseless. The scale and organization of the scams suggest that countering them requires not only forceful action, but also addressing the causes of social vulnerability and economic inequality.
Ghanaian “Sakawa guys” actively deceive British and American women through online romances, calling their scams “digital reparations” for colonialism. The criminals create fake Facebook profiles, pose as white men, and spend months building trust in order to extort hundreds of thousands of pounds.
