Sakawa Scammers’ Rituals in Ghana: A Blend of Internet Fraud and Occult Practices

Sakawa is a term used in Ghana to describe a fusion of internet scamming and occult rituals aimed at enhancing the success of scammers. The word itself originated as a reference to internet fraud but has grown to include mystical or spiritual practices that many scammers believe give them an edge in deceiving victims.

In 2024, Sakawa scams in Ghana remain a significant issue, involving a blend of internet fraud and voodoo rituals. Scammers, often referred to as Sakawa boys, engage in various types of online fraud such as romance scams, business email compromises, and identity theft. What sets them apart is their belief in supernatural forces, which they try to harness through occult rituals (or juju) to enhance their chances of success. These rituals may include sacrifices and the use of charms, performed by spiritual leaders or “voodoo priests” who market their services specifically to scammers. The belief is that these rituals can bring instant success in scamming, unlike the delayed rewards promised by traditional religious practices.

According to Wikipedia

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 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.

Purpose of Sakawa Rituals

The primary purpose of Sakawa rituals is to increase the effectiveness of scams by supposedly invoking supernatural forces. Scammers believe that by engaging in these rituals, they can:

• Gain supernatural powers that make their scams more convincing.
• Protect themselves from legal consequences.
• Ensure financial success from their fraudulent activities.

These rituals are seen as a form of spiritual insurance, which scammers hope will prevent their scams from failing or being exposed. Some also believe that performing these rituals can compel their victims to comply more readily.

What the Rituals Consist Of

The rituals can vary widely depending on the spiritual leader or “juju” priest involved, but common elements include:

• Animal sacrifices, particularly of chickens, goats, or cows, to appease spiritual entities.
• Special incantations or prayers directed at spirits or gods for wealth and protection.
• Use of talismans or charms believed to hold supernatural power.
• In more extreme cases, human sacrifices are rumored, although this has not been widely substantiated and remains a more sensational claim.

The use of blood, particularly in sacrificial rites, is central to many of these rituals. Juju priests are believed to have the power to connect scammers with spiritual forces that will enhance their deceptive powers or make them immune to arrest or failure.

Why People Believe in These Rituals

The belief in Sakawa rituals is deeply intertwined with the broader Ghanaian culture of spiritualism and witchcraft. Many Ghanaians believe in the power of spirits to influence everyday life, including financial success. For those involved in internet fraud, performing these rituals offers a sense of control over uncertain outcomes.

Additionally, the economic challenges in Ghana drive many young people toward Sakawa and internet fraud in general. For some, turning to occult practices provides an extra layer of assurance in an already desperate situation. The rise of wealthy individuals who openly credit their riches to spiritual powers also reinforces the belief that Sakawa rituals work.

Disengaging from Normal Morality

The Sakawa faith allows scammers to morally disengage from the harm they cause by blending traditional spiritual practices with criminal activities. The belief in voodoo rituals, or juju, provides a framework through which they justify their actions. By viewing their success in scamming as being sanctioned by supernatural forces, Sakawa practitioners often separate themselves from the morality of their deeds. These rituals are seen as an essential part of ensuring prosperity, similar to any other business venture, and many scammers view them as a way to secure success rather than a reflection of moral wrongdoing.

Scammers believe that by performing sacrifices or using charms, they are being blessed or empowered to carry out their scams. This spiritual practice diminishes their sense of accountability, as they interpret their actions as part of a divine or spiritual plan, rather than unethical behavior. Additionally, the economic desperation in regions where Sakawa operates fuels this sense of justification, as the rituals are seen as a means to survive or improve one’s social standing, which further detaches them from the moral implications of defrauding victims​.

Furthermore, the belief in instant rewards from the voodoo rituals—compared to traditional religions like Christianity or Islam, which promise rewards in the afterlife—reinforces the notion that their actions are acceptable if they bring immediate success. This short-term gain mentality helps scammers rationalize their actions as not purely evil but part of a spiritual exchange, where personal success is the ultimate proof of the ritual’s effectiveness.

This mindset allows many Sakawa scammers to continue their activities without feeling the moral burden of harming innocent people, as their focus shifts to fulfilling what they believe to be a spiritual mandate or destiny.

Sakawa Background

According to Meshack Opoku Afriyie

The word ‘Sakawa’ is a Hausa word which means ‘how to make money’. This I can’t make any connotations about, however, interesting enough I have observed that many people don’t really understand how the word ‘sakawa’ came about and what it was regarded for. But rather confusing themselves and labeling certain deeds as ‘sakawa’ instead of ‘Sika Duro’(blood money),’Mugu’ (zombie), the Almighty 419 among others.

I have read articles in the media about how state officials and others intend on clamping down ‘sakawa’. This is a positive attitude and reaction to the recurring news of lads acquiring mysterious fortune and immoral activities. However, I believe that our society needs to know what they are up against and what specifically they are looking for. You can never fight your enemy when you don’t know who or what it is?

A little history about its genesis will paint a clear definition of what the young refer to as ‘Sakawa’.It all started in Swedru,where young people and even adults enticed foreign nationals with pictures of nude girls who claim to be searching for other nationals to marry. So unsuspecting victims fall prey to this demise where males fraudulently disguise themselves as ladies and communicate with them through the internet in order to establish a relationship which can lead on into something serious even marriage. In the process, the victims send money, gifts to so-called pals or lovers. So this is how it all started.

As many of the young realizing it was lucrative, begun establishing network pals whose trust they gain and started extorting money by conniving means. But as time went on the white folks realized this, so many resorted to charms for manipulating people into sending them money and their details as well as credit cards numbers which they used to shop online. So that was and is referred to as ‘Sakawa’ or computer fraud. Presently the rising issues of snakes, coffins, madness etc…are not activities or operations of sakawa but rather ‘Sika duro’ aka blood money, ‘Mugu’ (Zombie) where people are deceived into thinking that there can be multiplication of their money and also charming people for their monies. In the mist of the computer fraud, lads have now resorted to blood money due to the fact that our Security agencies, Interpol and even FBI has become vigilant on computer fraud and its kind of legal to engage in blood money. More over, no police can arrest you for carrying a coffin at odd hours, having snakes around you or having something that generates money without raising any security alarm (your own personal ATM machine) Just imagine, how many foreign nationals will send over $ 15,000 to a pal, unknown lover especially with the credit crunch situation at hand or how many credit cards have over $5,000 on it or how smooth will the procedure be for a fraudster to purchase a Toyota Corolla S model without any detection. Just think about it, if you now comprehend what ‘Sakawa’ is then it will highly be impossible to keep up such a pace with the lifestyle of the blood money individuals who have a constant supply of money.

A sakawa guy can obtain some money but it never last that long to acquire what most lads are purchasing nowadays; like cars, houses, stores etc…so you wonder where they get it from and your guess is as good as mine. There have even being rumors of these young ones get involved in accidents and surprisely stacks of money are discovered at the trunk of their cars(especially their favorite Toyota Corolla S) just like a story I heard last week about a similar incident at Tesano.

So its high time we realize that the youth of today are engaging more in spiritual dealings like blood money, occultism because its now the easiest way to make money than sakawa. Therefore we have to redirect some attention to that, start praying for the youth of our beloved Ghana and educating the youth that life is not all about money but values like hard work. For the youth’s angle of success has changed due to societal preference for riches, so we must also refocus our scope in order to hit the right targets because we are loosing future leaders and talents.

Conclusion

Sakawa scammer rituals highlight the intersection of spirituality and criminality in Ghana, where internet fraud is bolstered by deeply rooted beliefs in supernatural forces. While controversial, these rituals remain a significant part of the scamming culture in certain parts of the country. Understanding Sakawa provides insight into the broader socioeconomic and cultural factors driving cybercrime in Ghana.

References

• https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-32583161