A CBS News investigation has uncovered that a significant portion of money lost to romance scams is traced to Ghana, where small-time hustlers, known as “Yahoo boys,” operate in underground boiler rooms.
These individuals, often working for syndicate bosses, use technology to target American victims, particularly older men, through online dating sites.
The scammers, including two men who go by “Voodu” and “Cola,” justify their actions due to economic hardship, citing unemployment and poverty as motivating factors.
The scams involve crafting elaborate messages, using fake identities, and even employing women and porn stars to maintain the deception.
Their activities have devastating consequences for American victims, leading to financial ruin and family discord. Despite their illicit lifestyle, scammers enjoy the wealth from their schemes, which can amount to millions.
The report from CBS expressed that Voodu and Cola have been scamming American victims for more than a decade. They agreed to speak with CBS News on condition of anonymity.
They claimed their motives are misunderstood.
“I come from a poor family and a poor background,” Voodu said.
And in a world connected by the click of a button, these men turned to cyber fraud.
“I couldn’t pay my hostel fees, school fees,” said Cola, a university graduate who said he couldn’t find a respectable job. “I feel disappointed like I didn’t go to school to do this. … Sometimes when I take money from people, l imagine that is my dad.”
Most of the scam activity unfolds in texts and emails. If someone insists on a voice call, Voodu said he recruited women to play the part.
For a video call, he said he hires online porn stars and records them acting out scenarios that he directs, from the mundane to the raunchy.
“They think they’re talking to this beautiful blonde woman,” Voodu said. “I have paid to just have her on video call.”
Building trust and deceiving the victims, he told CBS News, can take months.
“We do all that to get his attention and trust. Then, boom!” he said.
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