Sakawa is a Ghanaian term for illegal practices which combine modern Internet-based fraud with African traditionalist rituals. The term or word Sakawa is an

Hausa Hausa may refer to: * Hausa people, an ethnic group of West Africa * Hausa language, spoken in West Africa * Hausa Kingdoms, a historical collection of Hausa city-states * Hausa (horse) or Dongola horse, an African breed of riding horse See also ...

word which means ''putting inside, how to make money''. The rituals, which are mostly in the form of sacrifices, are intended to spiritually manipulate victims so that the scammer's fraud is successful. The term Sakawa referred to specific online scams but has since broadened to include all types of online frauds and scams mainly targeting foreigners. The scammers flaunt stylish clothes, luxury cars, and enormous wealth, in order to promote this act. In impoverished areas, it can be seen as a way of survival for some. Scammers involved in this practice call themselves Sakawa boys. A culture has developed around Sakawa which has influenced music and clothing brands. Movies depicting the lifestyle have become popular, a movement led by Ghanaian filmmaker Socrate Safo.

References

External links

The Sakawa Boys
a documentary about the phenomenon.
A Look at the Real African Social Engineers
an article on Sakawa culture.
The Anatomy Of a Sakawa Scam
an article detailing sakawa type frauds. Crime in Ghana Internet fraud African witchcraft Telecommunications in Ghana Crimes involving Satanism or the occult {{ghana-stub