Unveiling the Hidden Dangers of Internet Romance Scams from Ghana

The CBS News investigation peels back the layers on a sinister network of internet romance scams preying on American citizens, often originating from Ghana.

At a Glance

The “Hustle Kingdom” in Accra, Ghana, is home to online scammers targeting Americans.
Billions lost to scams, with banks facing criticism for not preventing fraud.
Emotional and financial devastation for victims, many of whom are elderly.
Banking officials call for more government support against fraud.

Scams Center in “Hustle Kingdom”

A CBS News investigation led by Debora Patta explores how online romance scams, primarily from Ghana, target vulnerable Americans. The network of scammers, known as “Yahoo boys,” operate out of Accra’s so-called “Hustle Kingdom.” They pose as women on dating sites, preying on widowers and other susceptible individuals. Once trust is established, victims are manipulated into wiring money under fabricated pretenses.

This underground world is financially devastating for many victims. In 2023, Americans reported over $10 billion in fraud losses, a significant increase from 2022. Despite U.S. banking safeguards, fraud persists, as scammers have become adept at circumventing these measures.

Some Americans who are looking for love online are tricked into sending money — sometimes hundreds of thousands of dollars — that ends up in the hands of highly-trained men posing as love interests.

CBS News followed the money to Ghana, where many of these scams originate. pic.twitter.com/nshkVJBLO6

— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) September 26, 2024

Failures in Banking Safeguards

The investigation reveals how banks struggle to thwart these scams. Victims and their families have launched lawsuits against banks for allegedly ignoring red flags. One notable case involves a 92-year-old woman who lost her life savings to a sophisticated scam. New York Attorney General Letitia James has also sued Citibank over inadequate customer protection measures.

“Everybody that has a credit card in this country is familiar with having transactions declined,” says attorney Anne Marie Murphy, representing a family that sued Charles Schwab. “The reason that credit cards are so good at doing this is because they’re on the hook for fraud. The same isn’t true with banks.” – Anne Marie Murphy

Banks argue they need to balance fraud prevention with customer autonomy. They, along with other officials, have called for more government support and a centralized anti-fraud strategy to address the issue.

Romance scammers, who often originate in Ghana or Nigeria, are typically running a number of operations simultaneously, and tend to target older and widowed people with money, Arun Rao of the Department of Justice tells CBS News. https://t.co/zKWIUDxjm3 pic.twitter.com/0AyfC5N7wZ

— CBS News (@CBSNews) April 28, 2024

Psychological Manipulation and Victim Impact

Scammers employ sophisticated psychological techniques, coaching victims to bypass bank safeguards. This manipulation results in severe emotional tolls on victims and their families. The scammers leverage poverty and lack of employment opportunities as justifications for their actions.

“Scammers overseas are targeting Americans’ hearts and their wallets. Men, who believe they’re speaking with women online, are lured into sending them money — but that money often ends up in the hands of young men in the West African nation of Ghana.” –

Debora Patta’s in-depth coverage includes interviews with the scammers themselves, who describe their methods and indifferent attitude towards the devastating effects of their actions. One scammer candidly explained, “I’ll go on Instagram and use a girl’s picture. Then I go on an online dating site. I find a male friend. I pretend to be a girl. Chat with him.” – Abdullah

The full article and video content from CBS News uncover the organized crime behind these scams, revealing their operations from Ghanaian boiler rooms to American victims’ doors.