Online fraudsters in Ghana are deliberately targeting lonely British women in romance scams, justifying their crimes as a form of “reparative justice” for colonialism, according to research reported by The Times UK.
The study, conducted by British and Nigerian academics, examined the activities of the so-called “Sakawa Boys,” cyber-criminals operating mainly out of Accra. The group has been duping women in the UK and other Western countries by posing as successful professionals seeking love, only to manipulate victims into transferring money.
According to the paper, published in the journal Deviant Behaviour, scammers claim that the “enduring legacy of colonialism” is a driving force behind their actions. “Online romance offenders invoke higher loyalties, rationalising their actions as reparative justice for colonial exploitation, and framing their fraud as a means of reclaiming wealth unjustly taken during colonial rule,” the study said.
Ghana, a British colony until 1957, has become a hub for online fraud and ranks 13th worldwide in cybercrime. The country, once known as the “Gold Coast” for its mineral riches exploited during colonial rule, now sees some fraudsters framing their deception as revenge.
One scammer, Kojo, told researchers: “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, calling himself 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 paper, co-authored by Dr Suleman Lazarus of the London School of Economics and Nigerian investigator Kaina Habila Garba, stressed that while these rationalisations reveal how offenders minimise their guilt, they cannot excuse the severe financial and emotional toll on victims.
Despite the supposed “historical justification,” victims of romance scams are often left with devastating losses. Interpol recently coordinated a crackdown across 18 African nations, including Ghana, which led to more than 1,200 arrests and the recovery of nearly $100 million (£72 million) linked to scams and ransomware operations.
Researchers noted that fraudsters are often celebrated locally as clever tricksters, but warned that the impact of romance scams extends far beyond financial damage, with many victims suffering lasting psychological trauma.
