Online Scams in Accra

Romantic Friendship and Romance Scam (Sakawa)

Accra is a known hub for "sakawa" — a locally named form of online romance and advance-fee fraud. Perpetrators cultivate relationships with foreign visitors or online contacts over weeks or months, presenting themselves as educated professionals, then introduce a financial crisis requiring urgent transfer of funds. Some operate in person: a well-dressed individual befriends a tourist in Osu or Labadi Beach and later introduces a business emergency.