‘I want to stop’- Internet fraudster willingly reports himself to authorities

In an unexpected turn of events, an internet fraudster, popularly known in Ghana as a ‘Sakawa boy’, has voluntarily surrendered himself to the authorities.

The incident was confirmed in a post on X (formerly Twitter) by Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

According to the EFCC, the fraudster turned himself in on Monday, 8 April 2025, to the Acting Zonal Director of the Benin Zonal Directorate of the EFCC, Assistant Commander of the EFCC (ACE I), Effam Okim.

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The statement indicated that the 28-year-old, a native of the Oredo Local Government Area in Edo State, explained that he decided to come forward because he no longer wished to engage in fraudulent activities, citing fear of being apprehended by operatives of the Commission.

The fraudster stated:

Before surrendering, he specialised in romance scam variants of internet fraud. He disclosed:

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has, in recent years, intensified its efforts to investigate and arrest individuals involved in romance scams—a digital menace that continues to emotionally and financially exploit victims worldwide.

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Meanwhile, in Ghana, the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), in collaboration with the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA), has launched the Ghana Fraud Reporting Campaign.

The initiative aims to encourage the Ghanaian public to report fraudulent activities and assist in dismantling organised crime groups (OCGs) before further harm is done.