Ghana Loses $210 Million To Sakawa Boys

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Cyber fraudsters otherwise known as Sakawa boys in local parlance have swindled Ghana to the tune of $210 million dollars in three years according to the Head of the Cybercrime unit of the Ghana Police Service, ACP Dr. Herbert Yankson.

He revealed that the figure which reveals a record of what has been reported to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters spans from 2016 bemoaning the annual increase.

According to him 35 million dollars was lost in 2016, 69 million dollars in 2017 and 105 million dollars in 2018 revealing an annual increase excluding what may have been reported to other agencies.

“Remember that this might not be the real figures, it just at the CID headquarters and we are trying to establish some of these units in all the regional capitals but we have not been able to do so, currently we only have one in Kumasi that it’s even at the infant stage.”, he revealed on Accra-based Starr Fm.

The Police Chief is of the view that something ought to be done in saving the situation as its repercussions could bring down the economy of Ghana 

“That is very worrying and that is why it is something we need to come together and realize that, this is something that is going to bring the economy down, so we should wake up”. He advised.

Recently, the Director-General of Police in charge of Research and Planning, COP Nathan Kofi Boakye has observed that the ability of illiterate cyber fraudsters to outsmart academicians including professors and dupe them of several millions of cedis goes beyond education.

He disclosed that the issue boils down to intelligence and not about academics or technology calling on Ghanaians to be wary of the kind of the schemes they fall for.

“Don’t forget our Sakawa boys who are not educated are duping professors…they are duping people who are supposed to know better. This shows that fighting crime is not only about academics…fighting crime is not also about the technology but basically it is about intelligence”, he revealed while addressing the Association of Women Accountants of Ghana (AWAG) in Tamale covered by MyNewsGh.com.

By: mynewsgh.com