Fake Jobs, Forced Cybercrime: Why Ghana Is Warning Its Citizens About Zambia

Ghana's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has told Ghanaians seeking work in Zambia to be extremely careful. In a travel advisory dated 5 October, it said it had observed "an emerging trend" of Ghanaians being lured to Zambia by fraudulent job offers, then subjected to coercive conditions and forced into cybercrime.

What triggered the warning
The advisory follows an operation on 23 August 2026 in Lusaka by the Zambia Police Service, the Drug Enforcement Commission and the Department of Immigration, targeting suspected organised cybercrime. In total, 79 people were arrested, made up of 10 Zambians and 69 foreign nationals. Six of them were Ghanaians.

According to information from the Ghana High Commission in Lusaka, some of the affected Ghanaians were recruited through what looked like legitimate jobs, including online data-entry work. Some media reports describe the six as victims of human trafficking, but the Ministry's own statement speaks of fraudulent recruitment and coercion. Their legal status in Zambia has not been set out in the reports I found, and that should be reported carefully.

What the Ministry is asking
The advisory makes two requests:
Ghanaians travelling to Zambia or seeking jobs there should thoroughly verify the authenticity of the offer, the recruitment agency and the prospective employer before they travel.

Ghanaians already in Zambia should be cautious about online job opportunities and stay in regular contact with the Ghana High Commission in Lusaka for consular help.

A pattern worth recognising
The Zambian case fits a pattern that officials and campaigners elsewhere have been describing. Recruiters advertise easy, well-paid work such as data entry, customer service or "online marketing." Victims travel at their own expense or on a prepaid ticket, and the real job turns out to be running online scams under pressure.

Ghana's Cyber Security Authority has already warned about a surge in fake job offers sent by text, email and social media, with scammers posing as employers and asking for money or personal information. It advises against paying for applications or interviews.

The Foreign Ministry has also warned in the past about agents offering jobs abroad that can leave people stranded or exploited.

Ease of travel makes the risk greater. Ghana and Zambia signed a visa-free travel agreement earlier this year, according to Africanews, and that helps legitimate travellers and traders [9]. It also removes one hurdle that might otherwise make a would-be traveller stop and check an offer.

How to protect yourself
These are general safeguards, not part of the Ministry's statement:

Treat high pay for little work, and offers that arrive unprompted, as warning signs.

Never pay fees for a job, an interview or a "visa processing" charge.

Verify the company independently. Look for a registered business, a real office and staff you can check, not just a messaging account.

Check the offer with the Ghana Immigration Service or the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit, and look at the Youth Employment Agency's guidance, before you travel.

Tell family where you are going and who is employing you, and keep your own passport and return ticket.

If something goes wrong, contact the Ghana High Commission in Lusaka quickly.

The bigger picture
This warning is a reminder that unemployment and the hunger for opportunity are being exploited by criminal networks across borders. Ghana's youth are enterprising, and many legitimate opportunities exist across Africa.

The more people know the signs of fake recruitment, the harder it becomes for traffickers to operate. Families, schools, churches and mosques, and community leaders can all help by sharing the warning.

Authorities in both countries also have work to do. Ghana and Zambia should share information about recruiters, support the victims fairly and prosecute the organisers, not the people they exploited. Parents and young job seekers deserve clear answers on what happened to the six Ghanaians and on how legitimate cross-border employment can be verified.

Mustapha Bature Sallama
Medical/ Science Communicator,
Private Investigator, Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Analysis,
International Conflict Management and Peacebuilding. (USIP)
Mustysallama@gmail.com
+233555275880

References
MyJoyOnline, "Ghana cautions citizens over fraudulent jobs luring them to Zambia for cybercrime," 6 October 2026: https://www.myjoyonline.com/ghana-cautions-citizens-over-fraudulent-jobs-luring-them-to-zambia-for-cybercrime/

MyJoyOnline, "6 Ghanaian victims of human trafficking arrested in Zambia cybercrime raid," 6 October 2026: https://www.myjoyonline.com/6-ghanaian-victims-of-human-trafficking-arrested-in-zambia-cybercrime-raid-foreign-affairs-ministry/

Graphic Online, "Foreign Ministry warns Ghanaians against fraudulent jobs in Zambia after cybercrime arrests," 6 October 2026: https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/foreign-ministry-warns-ghanaians-against-fraudulent-jobs-in-zambia-after-cybercrime-arrests.html

Ghanaian Times, "Ghana warns citizens over fake jobs and forced cybercrime in Zambia," 6 October 2026: https://ghanaiantimes.com.gh/ghana-warns-citizens-over-fake-jobs-and-forced-cybercrime-in-zambia/

Adomonline, "Fake jobs trap: Ghana warns citizens over forced cybercrime in Zambia," 6 October 2026: https://www.adomonline.com/fake-jobs-trap-ghana-warns-citizens-over-forced-cybercrime-in-zambia/

Ghanaian Times, "Report Suspicious Messages to the Authorities Immediately Cyber Security Authority Urges Public": https://ghanaiantimes.com.gh/report-suspicious-messages-to-the-authorities-immediately-cyber-security-authority-urges-public

Citi Newsroom, "Job scams surge, over GH₵124,000 lost – Cyber Security Authority reveals": https://www.citinewsroom.com/?p=1008795

Ghanaian Times, "Foreign Ministry cautions travelers about agents who promise juicy offers, service": https://ghanaiantimes.com.gh/foreign-ministry-cautions-travelers-about-agents-who-promise-juicy-offers-service

Africanews, "Ghana and Zambia sign visa-free travel agreement," 5 February 2026 (cited via Wikipedia's "2026 in Zambia"; I did not open the original).

Radio Univers, "'Verify job offers with Ghana Immigration Service' Global Freedom Network urges": https://univers.ug.edu.gh/verify-job-offers-with-ghana-immigration-service-global-freedom-network-urges/

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