Internet Crime In Ghana
A visit to any of the numerous Internet cafés in Accra is an experience in patience. They are always full to capacity and one has to wait for a while before obtaining a seat behind any of the consoles. As was said by the ex-UN Secretary General in his inaugural address during Ghana’s 50th Anniversary celebrations, in spite of the eager crowds found at the cafes, a larger percentage of the people have no access to cyberspace. In Africa “a small proportion have ever logged on to the internet,” Mr. Annan said. It is, however, encouraging that Ghana appears to be catching up with the information technology.
While the Internet is a tool of study for many students, a segment of the public employ the internet to chat with or email friends and family members living outside the country. These are novel and more reliable means of communication with kin abroad.
Investigation conducted by this reporter into the uses of the technology has revealed that there is a growing number of Internet users in the capital who have taken to using the medium for other purposes than what is normally required; for genuine formal and informal transaction. This group uses the medium to exploit unsuspecting web users. It is difficult to read into their intent at first behold, as their communication is always well crafted, showing how otherwise good communication skills are directed into criminal exploitation of fellow citizens and innocent others elsewhere.
For most of the time many of those found hunched over work stations at the cafés happen to be up to no good but busily banging away on the keyboards their crafty missives. Sometimes, a whole café is occupied by them. It must be stated also that their ‘professionalism’ is turned a leaking bucket when their letter comes as an intrusive one that falls short of addressing the recipient by name. The more crack groups manage to jump this detection but fall short with their first-time introduction to a deal. The usual kind goes like the following:
a. “Dear Friend, This is to request for your participation as well as your assistance in retrieving some deposit GOLD BARS worth several millions of dollars. It became important that definite funds be converted into GOLD BARS to facilitate its shipment from the Philippines.
b. Dear Sir/Madam, Warm greetings as I write to you and I hope this proposal meets you in good health. I write to you regarding a business deal of high interest. We have not met as you would have thought but my writing to you means a lot more than we both could ever imagine if your most attention is given to every bit of this proposal.”
Their offers include government proposals (sometimes even with the letter heads and signatures of Presidents, Ministers), refugee assistance, wills, gold business, corruption-starched funds by some indispensable contaminated leaders, visa lottery, job offers, bank deal etc. They then proceed to tell of the mouth watering prospect, seeking in the process your assistance by way of parting with sums of money to the final execution of the deal.
Others go to the extent of convincing the recipient to do available his/her bank account for the transaction. The contents of such mails hold these forms:
a. “From Mr Dakarai Kokayi No 16 Pretoria Street Lenensia, Springs, Johannesburg, South Africa . Divin_ass2007@hotmail.com Tel No: +27-783-915-404
Sir/Madam,
Before the death of my father, he travelled to Johannesburg to deposit the sum of US$ 8.6Million (Eight Million Six Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) only, in one of the private security/finance companies, as if he foresaw the looming danger in Zimbabwe . This money was deposited in the security / finance company as family valuables and consignment to avoid much demurrage from the Security Company. This amount was meant for the purchase of new machines/ farm machineries and chemicals for the farms and establishment of a new farm in Swaziland because he is the chairman of the farmers association while Mum was the treasurer.
“This land problem came ( and is still on ) when our President Mr. Robert Mugabe introduced a new Land Act reform which wholly affected the rich white farmers and some few murky farmers. This resulted to the killing and mob action by the Zimbabwean war veterans and some lunatics in the society hijacked the opportunity. In fact, lot of people were killed because of this land reformed Act for which my father was one of the victims, the news about the crisis in Zimbabwe is everywhere both in the CNN and BBC.
“It is against this background that, I and my family who are currently staying in South Africa now decided to transfer my father’s money to a foreign country since the law of South Africa prohibits refugees political asylum seekers) to open any bank account or to be involved in any financial transaction throughout the territorial zones of South Africa. As the eldest son of my father, I am saddled with the responsibility of seeking a genuine foreign partner with a good bank myth where this money could be transferred into without the knowledge of my government who are bent on taking everything. All I seek for is your seriousness, for I am entrusting my future and that of my family into your hands .I must also let you know that this transaction is 100%risk free.. If you accept to assist my family and me all I want from you is for you to beget arrangements and come to Johannesburg – South Africa (if possible), so that you can help me open a non-resident account in your name which will aid us in transferring the money into any fable you will nominate outside South Africa . This money I intend to use for investment in a favorable business venture.
“I have two options for you, firstly you can choose to have certain percentage of the money for nominating your account for this transaction, or you can go into partnership with me for the proper profitable business investment of the money in your country. Whichever option you want, feel free to yelp me. I will also map out 5% of this money for all kinds of expenses we might incur in the process of this transaction. If you do not prefer a partnership I am willing to give you 35% of the money while the remaining 60% will remain for me and my family. If you are really capable and willing to assist me please contact me immediately with my alternative e-mail address for faster communication. Finally, please give this matter the urgent attention it deserves as I am in dire need to leave this country. Kindly send me your private phone and fax number for easy communication.
Best regards,
Mr.Dakarai Kokayi (For the Family)
f. “The aggravated political unrests in the Philippines led to this decision. My name is, Sergey Usatyuk, I am working on behalf of my aunt who has requested that I find someone who will be committed in working with our family. At the moment, our family is under government restrictions and cannot do any businesses inside our country due to political reasons. Though the funds (IN GOLD BARS) in question comes from a legitimate family business source but, these resources cannot be invested in our country of origin because of government incarceration of our family and business associates. From available facts, she acquired the funds running into several millions of United States dollars from oil business which she conducted in the 80’s. Proof of this can be given at request. Your remuneration as the anticipated new beneficiary and investment manager the funds (GOLD BARS)) shall include an investment sharing ratio of 80/20. Twenty percent of gains from the investment shall be retained by you while the balance 80% shall be for the sponsor of the anticipated investment. Your willingness to cooperate shall be followed by legal documentation of the venture. We will also want to hear a detailed investment plan from you. More information on this venture will become available to you once I am aware that you are ready to work with us and that you are genuine. SergeyUsatyuk.”
They always make sure they cover themselves against any legal repercussions. Their emails are never valid.
These fraudster operate behind the anonymity of the computer screen. In the case of those in Ghana, it has been discovered that a good number of them happen to be persons of Nigerian descent and fall within the age group 23 to 45.
Further investigations have revealed some of these persons are well educated. Some are fresh graduates from Universities in both Ghana and Nigeria. Others are IT workers, importers and exporters as well as Internet operators. Others are unemployed persons who spend time to draft the letters with the aid of veterans in and around their areas of operation.
Many they have collaborators outside Ghana, most notably, Australia, UK and USA.
They move in groups and are often found at popular pub joints chatting amid drinking and smoking. Interestingly, they don’t involve ladies or court them, as they consider them weak elements who could present them at considerable times. This is not to say that they do not lavish expensive gifts on the few ones who they strategically retain away from their business.
A supervisor of an Internet cafe who pleaded anonymity told this reported that he has known and witnessed this activity since 2002, adding that it grew worse in 2004.
According to him, two years ago the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) executed an operation that led to the arrest of some of those fraudsters at a cafe at 1st Junction, Teshie-Nungua, a suburb of Accra.
By his narrative, the ringleader who doubles as owner of the cafe was also a deacon of an internationally respected and recognized church (name withheld for now). Heartrending enough, he was released in a week’s time.
The supervisor stated that he had personally parted with $50 which he considers a small sum in view of what others have given through fruitless transactions with these persons.
According to another Internet cafe operator, he sees them everyday and has fair knowledge of what they were into before coming to Ghana.
Before proceeding further with the interview he asked me to move a bit closer to two men who were sitting across the front desk. Listening in to their conversation, the one who sat by the other doing the typing remarked, ‘does this one have money? ‘ To which the other responded, ‘I don’t know but I am trying. Anything can happen, you know.’ When we resumed our conversation, the Internet operator renowned that these ‘questionable investors’ see Ghana as more a friendly environment where they can operate unperturbed, stating further that he has seen some Internet users happily print out the determined responses they receive from some of their unsuspecting prospects.
Asked why he does not warn innocent persons against these scams, he said most people would doubt him until they get caught in their folly.
On the issue of how they attain the email addresses of Internet users he noted that they sometimes unknown to the Internet café operators install software that tracks email addresses.
Others use Google to track email addresses.
Asked whether they ever succeed, he laughed and pointed out that if it was not working they would have stopped long ago, pointing out further that he has witnessed one of them hitting more than $30,000 which he used to purchase a new automobile and traveled to his homeland only to return to Ghana to continue his nefarious business.
He added that, they often take the unsuspecting persons who fall for their proposals to great lengths such as helping them with entry into the country, with temporary accommodation, mostly hotels and making sure they get the monies, lock them in the hotels and bolt away.
Another supervisor who readily made available more than 20 of these letters to this reporter noted that the unprofessional acts of some police officers have led to an established cycle of having them arrested to be freed later.
A young banker remarked that since he created his email account, it has always been filled with these scam mails, adding that he even received a mail of having won a Visa lottery that he never filed for. He blamed the security services for the lapse in the system, noting that it is destroying that medium which is undoubtedly a fertile one for business transaction.
Mr. Tony Benneh, a businessman noted that this has affected his export business badly.
He stated that negotiations with business partners outside the country mostly get stalled because they are afraid of being duped. He recalled having been contacted by one of his business partners in Singapore who received a business letter which was purported to be coming from the Bank of Ghana at Kaneshie. According to him, he had to convince his Singapore partner that there is only one Bank of Ghana, which is the central bank and advised him to ignore the letter.
Benneh added that the fact that Ghana is considered as the gateway to Africa does not mean the authorities should allow scammers and criminals from other countries to give the country a bad name.
One student, Eric Brampah, told this reporter of an email he received from a supposed wealthy but bedridden widow who interestingly has no children. She wanted him as her son (adopted).
He said everything went fine, as he spoke with the woman on her sick bed outside Ghana and further spoke with her attorney for the processing of the property transfer papers.
The attorney of the so-called affluent woman asked for a few hundreds of dollars to be able to finalize processing of the will transfer documents, requesting in the process, a photocopy of his passport
Had it not been for the counsel of this reporter he would have borrowed money from his Uncle, who is a farmer, to pay.
Related Posts
Filed under Customer Support Software Freeware by on Jan 28th, 2012. 