Hustlers rule the internet

US alone lost about 50 billion last year to online scams.

- Suleman Lazarus & Mark Button

WEST AFRICA: ACADEMIES TRAIN SWINDLERS.

As the world becomes increasingly connected, digital fraud has evolved from a local problem into a global one.

West Africa, particularly Ghana and Nigeria, is witnessing the rise of "hustle kingdoms" - informal academies that train individuals to carry out digital scams.

The term "hustle kingdoms" originated from online scammers themselves, used to describe their training centres. The hustle kingdoms operate both online and offline, blending virtual training with in-person sessions.

Real-life scams linked to "graduates" of these academies include scams such as online romance fraud and business e-mail compromise scams. Similar set-ups existed in the 1980s and 1990s under the name "business centres".

Back then, a "chairman", typically a university graduate or dropout, would rent an office, hire a secretary and recruit junior scammers or "boys". Their task was to target victims worldwide via postal letters, telephone calls and faxes. The "chairman" provided funding and logistics while trainees honed their scamming skills.

These academies, once local training hubs, have evolved into global threats.