Criminal training academies across West Africa are producing thousands of fraudsters who target elderly British women through sophisticated online scams.
These underground schools, referred to as "hustle kingdoms", operate throughout Ghana and Nigeria, offering criminal apprenticeships to young men seeking to master cyber fraud techniques.
The scale of this criminal enterprise became apparent when Interpol's recent enforcement action resulted in 260 arrests across Ghana, Angola, Ivory Coast and Senegal.
Officers identified 1,463 victims who collectively lost £2.1 million to romance scams and sextortion schemes.
Academic research by Dr Suleman Lazarus from the University of Portsmouth has exposed how these operations function, warning that thousands of cyber criminals are graduating from such programmes throughout West Africa.
The criminal enterprises recruit predominantly males aged 16 to 32, who receive accommodation and meals whilst undergoing their illicit training.
These recruits surrender most of their criminal proceeds to the operation's leader, known as the "chairman", until they've repaid their education costs.
The apprentices, commonly called Yahoo Boys, live in shared housing during their training period, which can last from one to five months.
Thousands of aspiring criminals operate throughout Ghana and Nigeria
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In one documented case, Nigerian ringleader Ikemesit Edet housed ten young recruits aged 16 to 25 in a five-bedroom property whilst directing their fraudulent activities.
The research, published in the journal Deviant Behaviour, revealed how these academies function as structured criminal enterprises with clear hierarchies and financial arrangements.
The fraudsters employ multiple deception methods, with romance fraud being a primary technique where criminals pose as respectable white men to manipulate vulnerable Western women into relationships.
Over several months, these scammers convince victims to transfer substantial amounts by fabricating medical crises or personal emergencies.
The men are known as 'Yahoo Boys'
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Another prevalent tactic involves hijacking Facebook accounts to impersonate victims and request money from their contacts.
The criminals also recruit victims' friends as unwitting accomplices, persuading them to purchase items from fraudulent online shops that never deliver goods.
Students learn advance-fee fraud techniques, deceiving targets into paying upfront for non-existent services.
The stolen funds are channelled through Chinese banking systems, significantly complicating investigators' efforts to track the money trail.
The first successful prosecution of a hustle kingdom leader occurred in April 2024 when Ikemesit Edet from Akwa Ibom, Nigeria, received a five-year prison sentence.
Edet had displayed his wealth on social media, including a gold-coloured Toyota Corolla, which led to his capture by authorities.
He admitted to charges "bordering on impersonation, love scam, hacking/editing of social media accounts and private criminal tutoring", with his network stealing £7,500 from victims.
Operation Contender, conducted between July 28 and August 11, dismantled 81 criminal networks and resulted in the seizure of 1,235 devices.
In Senegal alone, 22 arrests exposed a scheme where criminals impersonated celebrities and manipulated 120 victims out of approximately £25,300.