Online scammers in Ghana are deliberately targeting British women for thousands of pounds, justifying their crimes as “payback for colonialism,” according to a groundbreaking academic study. The fraudsters, known as Sakawa Boys, claim their romance scams are acts of “reparative justice” for historical exploitation under British rule.
The research, published in the journal Deviant Behaviour, reveals how cyber-criminals invoke Ghana’s colonial past to rationalise elaborate online romance frauds. British and Nigerian academics found that scammers frame their crimes as reclaiming wealth “unjustly taken during colonial rule.
Ghana, which gained independence in 1957 after being a British colony since the 19th century, is now ranked 13th globally for online fraud according to the World Cybercrime Index. The West African nation was previously known as the “Gold Coast” due to its natural reserves exploited under British rule.
“Architects of a New Era”
The Sakawa Boys use social media platforms, particularly Facebook, to emotionally manipulate victims into financial transactions. They typically pose as white men with solid careers, targeting affluent Western women seeking romantic relationships online.
One scammer identified as Kojo told researchers his ancestors were “stripped of their dignity” by colonialists. He declared: “We are the architects of a new era, an era where we turn the tables and reclaim what was taken from us by the white people. This is not just a game, this is history reclaiming itself.”
Another fraudster known as Justice claimed: “They took more than just the gold, cocoa and the riches of our land. They took our people, bound them and shipped them across oceans. Now, we are bringing back dollars from overseas.”
The study reveals fraudsters show little remorse for their victims, instead positioning themselves as agents of historical retribution against enduring economic inequalities.
Academic Analysis
The paper, co-written by three British academics including researchers from the University of Surrey and University of Portsmouth, found that perceptions of historical wrongs cited by fraudsters were often misplaced. The authors stated: “Scammers position themselves as agents of historical retribution, justifying their crimes as acts of resistance against the enduring economic inequalities rooted in colonial legacies.
However, they emphasised: “These rationalisations demonstrate how offenders attempt to reduce their guilt, but they do not free them from responsibility, as romance scams are a serious crime with severe financial and psychological consequences for victims.
Dr Suleman Lazarus, a cybercrime expert at the University of Portsmouth who contributed to the research, found that romance fraud offenders frequently present themselves as white and primarily target Western societies. The study revealed many saw their actions as a “civic duty” rather than criminal behaviour.
Sophisticated Operations
Research shows the typical romance scammer profile includes young men – 81.7 per cent under 26 years old – with nearly three-quarters being university students. Almost 60 per cent prefer using iPhones for their fraudulent schemes.
The scammers carefully construct online personas, with 46 per cent posing as white American males, 12 per cent as military personnel, and 10 per cent as white European males. These calculated choices reflect deliberate targeting of Western victims.
In Ghana’s capital Accra, these cyber-criminals operate from sophisticated networks, exploiting what they perceive as colonial grievances to justify extensive fraud operations affecting thousands of victims globally.
Massive International Crackdown
An Interpol-coordinated police operation last week resulted in the arrest of over 1,200 cyber-criminals believed to have conned at least 88,000 victims. Operation Serengeti 2.0 recovered $97.4 million (£72 million) and targeted 18 African countries, including Ghana.
The three-month operation, running from June to August 2025, brought together law enforcement from across Africa and the United Kingdom to tackle high-harm cybercrimes including ransomware, online scams and business email compromise.
Valdecy Urquiza, Secretary General of Interpol, said: “Each Interpol-coordinated operation builds on the last, deepening cooperation, increasing information sharing and developing investigative skills across member countries.”
Cultural Context
The study reveals how Sakawa Boys are sometimes celebrated locally as clever tricksters, despite the devastating impact on victims. Researchers note that fraudsters operate within a historical framework where colonial subjugation narratives influence motivations and societal attitudes toward cybercrime.
The term “Sakawa” derives from the Hausa language and characterises economic cybercrime activities in Ghana. Similar groups operate across West Africa, including Nigeria’s “Yahoo Boys” and Cameroon’s “Feh men.”
Professor Mark Button, Co-Director of the Centre for CyberCrime and Economic Crime at Portsmouth University, emphasised: “By linking cybercrime motivations to historical and structural injustices, this research expands the theoretical framework of neutralization techniques to include the dimension of long-standing socio-historical grievances.
Growing Threat
Cybercrime now accounts for more than 30 per cent of all reported crime in Western and Eastern Africa, according to Interpol’s 2025 Africa Cyberthreat Assessment. Two-thirds of African nations surveyed reported cyber-related crimes account for a medium-to-high share of all crimes.
Online scams, particularly phishing, were the most frequently reported cybercrimes in Africa, whilst ransomware, business email compromise and digital sextortion remain widespread threats.
Despite claims of historical justification, victims of romance scams suffer devastating losses beyond financial damage, with many experiencing lasting psychological trauma. The impact extends to severe financial ruin for individuals and families across multiple continents.
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