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15.01.2009 News

Internet Fraud on the increase in Accra

15.01.2009 LISTEN

It is sad to note that most internet café's seen on the streets of Accra have now been turned into fraud centers for the youth, especially young men, to practice such acts.

Accra File has realised that the practice of such acts is on the increase. These young men have abandoned their education and jobs, to practice such acts thinking that it is the simplest way of getting quick money.

Some of these boys go to the internet café's search through webs sites to find foreigners who want to marry African ladies, especially white people.

These boys defraud these victims by pretending as if they are ladies who are also into internet dating, by sending pictures of African ladies to these foreigners who are eager to date.

Accra File also got to know that most of these boys do not only use their brains and intelligence, but also seek assistance from native doctors, which is normally referred to “Agbala”.

It has also been realised that there are many of such cafés operating in Accra. Some café owners in Accra stated that internet fraud was now common, and had also realised that they could also make money out of it.

Some further said that they make money out of it, by introducing the young guys to the websites where people in search of females to date post their photographs and other necessary information.

Some also said some of these young men come to the café to buy their time for months, and some for even a year.

Some also said it was also an opportunity for them, the owners, because the cafés are always busy, and they make a lot of money. In an interview with Bashiru Musah, at Abeka who practices internet fraud, he said he started this act about five years ago, and it has helped him so well.

According to him, his parents stopped looking after him when he was in form two in Senior Secondary School. His friends introduced him into the business, because he was facing difficulty in paying his school fees and had no pocket money as well.

He said it was his wish to stop that business, because it was risky.

On finding out how risky it was, Bashiru said normally when they go to their native doctors for medicine, they always go in groups.

“Anytime we go in groups, one of us do not come back home, because we sleep in a coffin for days. The native doctors tell us that you can only come out from the coffin alive, if you have a hard heart,” he added.

He noted that the reason why he seeks assistance from native doctors was because it makes it easy for them to get money from the foreigners.

“We do it so that anything we ask them, they do.”
To him, he wishes to stop and further his education, but he can't, because it is now in competition in his area.

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