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As the world becomes more connected, digital fraud has grown from a local problem to a global one. West Africa, particularly Ghana and Nigeria, is seeing the rise of “fraud empires” – informal academies that train people to commit digital fraud.
The term “hustle empire” comes from online hustlers themselves, who used it to describe their training centers. This environment is glorified in some popular culture. Hustle empires operate both online and offline, combining virtual training with in-person sessions.
Real-world scams involving these academy “graduates” include a variety of scams such as online romance scams and business email compromise scams.
A similar arrangement existed in the 1980s and 1990s under the name “business centers.” Back then, a “chairman,” usually a college graduate or dropout, would rent an office, hire a secretary, and recruit skilled con artists, or “underlings.” Their job was to target victims around the world via postal mail, phone calls, and faxes. The “chairman” provided funding and logistics while the trainees honed their con skills.
These academies, once local training centers, have evolved into a global menace. They now export their skills around the world, fueling increasingly widespread and persistent fraud. The United States alone will lose an estimated $50 billion in 2023 to online fraud, much of it linked to West African fraudsters. This figure only represents reported losses – there is much more crime that goes unreported.
Similar to the “Sakawa Boys” (Ghanaian online scammers) and the “Yahoo Boys” (Nigerian online scammers), “hustle empire” scammers sometimes justify their actions as seeking redress for past injustices, viewing themselves as descendants of victims of the slave trade, economic exploitation, and colonialism, while Westerners are seen as descendants of colonizers. This framing suggests that their online scams are, in part, a response to historical wrongs.
They also use supernatural strategies – “juju magic” – to manipulate and deceive their victims.
Nigerian fraudulent companies are often associated with student associations, secret or semi-secret organizations such as “Black Axe”, an organized crime group that was originally formed in Nigerian universities. In contrast, Ghanaian cybercriminals are rarely associated with organized crime groups.
As these scammers’ operations expand, online romance scams and sexual extortion cases are on the rise in the United States and Europe, raising concerns.
Online romance scams involve scammers creating fake online identities to build emotional relationships with victims, tricking them into sending money or personal information. Sexual blackmail occurs when the perpetrator coerces the victim into providing sexually explicit content and then threatens to share it unless the victim meets financial or other demands.
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As academics who have researched and written on the issue of cybercrime in West Africa, we want to provide readers with a nuanced perspective on a complex phenomenon. Therefore, we combine on-the-ground insights with global analysis, highlighting the need for coordinated action to combat this crime.
The kingdom of hustle and bustle
The term “hustle kingdom” or “HK” has a meaning in this cybercriminal training network. “HK” is also an abbreviation for “headquarters” or “high kingdom.” This term refers to a command center with a hierarchical structure for training new members, which functions like an online fraud academy. This structure is important during the training phase but tends to disband after members graduate.
“HK” is more than just a physical location; it acts as a conceptual space within the network. Here, newbies learn various scam techniques and job search strategies from globally contributed insights. Thus, “HK” serves as a knowledge hub, spreading tactics throughout the network.
The concept has gained currency in everyday language, indicating its acceptance and use beyond organized cyber fraud. HK emphasizes educational and strategic aspects rather than territorial issues, underscoring the decentralized and adaptable nature of the organization. Factors such as socio-economic pressures and the lure of quick riches drive individuals to join these institutions.
Sexual extortion and romance fraud
Graduates of these academies are contributing to an alarming rise in online romance scams and sexual extortion cases, particularly in the United States and Europe. There are no hard crime statistics to illustrate the increase, but one organization that receives reports of child sexual extortion reported 26,718 cases in 2023, up from 10,731 in 2022 and up from 139 in 2021.
This scam was not an isolated incident, but part of a larger, organized effort that originated in West Africa and involved participants from multiple countries, including criminals in Western countries. Studies, such as interviews with an alleged leader of a Black Axe-affiliated cybercriminal group, show the international scope of this operation.
Stop online fraud
Addressing this issue requires urgent attention at both the local and global levels. There are no quick and simple solutions, but broadly speaking, there are three main areas of action needed.
First, there needs to be closer cooperation between law enforcement from countries that are the primary targets of these fraudsters and West African law enforcement agencies. The goal is not only to catch the main criminals, but also to stop their activities.
Second, the social and economic factors that drive young people to enter this “industry” need to be addressed.
Finally, more needs to be done to protect potential victims from these online scams through more effective and targeted fraud prevention measures.
Hustle Academies: West African online scammers train others in sexual fraud and extortion first appeared on Latest Nigeria News | Headlines from Ripples Nigeria.
