Sakawa

{{Short description|Ghanaian phenomenon}}

{{about|a Ghanaian phenomenon|the town in Japan|Sakawa, Kōchi}}

Sakawa is a Ghanaian term for illegal practices which combine modern Internet-based fraud with African traditionalist rituals. The term or word Sakawa is an Hausa word which means putting inside, how to make money.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-32583161|title=Inside the world of Ghana's internet fraudsters|last=Darko|first=Sammy|date=10 May 2015|website=bbc.co.uk|publisher=BBC|access-date=4 March 2017}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/features/The-Conception-and-Perception-of-Sakawa-162889|title=The Conception and Perception of 'Sakawa'|website=www.ghanaweb.com|date=30 November 2001 |access-date=2020-04-02}} The rituals, which are mostly in the form of sacrifices, are intended to spiritually manipulate victims so that the scammer's fraud is successful. The term Sakawa referred to specific online scams but has since broadened to include all types of online frauds and scams mainly targeting foreigners. The scammers flaunt stylish clothes, luxury cars, and enormous wealth, in order to promote this act. In impoverished areas, it can be seen as a way of survival for some.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o26Eks801oc |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/o26Eks801oc |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=Internet Scamming in Ghana |publisher=YouTube |date= |access-date=2013-12-05}}{{cbignore}}{{cite web |last=Abubakar |first=Zulaihatu |url=http://www.modernghana.com/news/419261/1/sakawa-guy-confesses.html |title=Sakawa Guy Confesses |publisher=Modern Ghana |date=2012-09-22 |access-date=2013-12-05}}{{cite web |url=http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=260823 |title=Six teenagers engage in mysterious Sakawa deal | General News 2012-12-30 |publisher=GhanaWeb |date=2012-12-30 |access-date=2013-12-05}}{{cite web |last=Akwetey-Okunor |first=Isaac |url=http://thechronicle.com.gh/sakawa-coffin-exhibited-in-public/ |title=Sakawa coffin exhibited in public | Ghanaian Chronicle |publisher=The Ghanaian Chronicle |date=2012-06-22 |access-date=2013-12-05 |archive-date=2013-12-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131217221700/http://thechronicle.com.gh/sakawa-coffin-exhibited-in-public/ |url-status=dead }}{{cite web|url=http://graphic.com.gh/archive/features/the-sakawa-menace-any-solutions.html |title=The sakawa menace ...Any solutions | features |publisher=Daily Graphic |last=Dzandu |first=Sammy |date=2013-06-03 |access-date=2013-12-05}}

Scammers involved in this practice call themselves Sakawa boys.{{cite news |last1=Darko |first1=Sammy |title=Inside the world of Ghana's internet fraudsters |work=BBC News |date=9 May 2015 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-32583161 |access-date=19 March 2020}} A culture has developed around Sakawa which has influenced music and clothing brands. Movies depicting the lifestyle have become popular, a movement led by Ghanaian filmmaker Socrate Safo.{{cite web |last1=Thomas |first1=Morton |title=The Sakawa Boys: Inside the Bizarre Criminal World of Ghana's Cyber-Juju Email Scam Gangs |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-sakawa-boys-inside-the-bizarre-criminal-world-of-ghanas-cyber-juju-email-scam-gangs/ |website=Vice |language=en |date=5 April 2011}}