Why Diaspora Communities Are Targeted
Scammers are strategic. They target Sierra Leoneans abroad because diaspora senders are:
- Known to send money regularly
- Emotionally connected to family back home
- Sometimes less familiar with local fraud patterns
- More likely to act quickly on an "emergency" involving loved ones
Understanding this targeting helps you stay protected. You are not naive for being at risk — you are a target precisely because you care.
The Five Most Common Scams
1. The Fake Emergency
Someone contacts you claiming to be a family member — or a person who knows your family — saying there has been a medical emergency, an arrest, or an accident. They need money sent immediately. "Don't call anyone else, it's too complicated to explain."
Red flag: Urgency is the weapon. Scammers want you to act before you think.
What to do: Hang up. Call your family member on a number you already have in your phone. Take five minutes to verify independently before sending anything.
2. The Fake Remittance Company
A new "service" promises rates far higher than any legitimate provider. You send your money — they send you nothing. The company disappears.
Red flag: Rates too good to be true (e.g., 30+ SLE per dollar when the market is 22–23). No reviews. Contact only via WhatsApp or social media.
What to do: Only use providers with a verifiable regulatory history, established app store presence, and genuine reviews. The providers listed on RemitSL are all legitimate licensed services.
3. The Advance Fee Scam
Someone tells you that a large amount of money is waiting for you — an inheritance, a lottery, an oil deal — but you need to pay a "release fee" or "tax" first to receive it.
Red flag: No legitimate payment processor, government agency, or bank requires you to pay money upfront to receive money that is owed to you.
What to do: Stop all contact immediately. Do not send anything.
4. Romance Scams With a Remittance Angle
A relationship develops online — weeks or months of communication. Then a crisis happens. Medical bills. A plane ticket home. A stranded situation. The request for money follows.
Red flag: You have never met this person in person. The "crisis" appears right as the relationship reaches an emotional peak.
What to do: Never send money to someone you have not met in person, regardless of how long you have communicated online.
5. The Hijacked Account
Scammers gain access to a friend's or family member's social media or WhatsApp account and message you pretending to be them. The conversation and tone may feel genuine — because they are copying real messages.
Red flag: A "family member" you regularly speak with suddenly asks for money via an unusual channel, or the story feels slightly off.
What to do: Call the person on their regular phone number to verify before sending anything.
How to Protect Yourself
Verify independently. Before sending any money based on a message or call, verify through a completely separate channel — a phone call to a number you already have, not one they give you.
Use legitimate platforms only. Wave, Sendwave, Wise, Remitly, WorldRemit — these are regulated, licensed companies with accountability. Avoid informal channels.
Be skeptical of urgency. Legitimate needs can usually wait five minutes for you to verify. Scammers cannot.
Educate your family back home. Some scams work by compromising someone in Sierra Leone who then passes along false information. Help your family recognize patterns too.
If You Have Been Scammed
Report it immediately to:
- The FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov (US)
- Action Fraud at actionfraud.police.uk (UK)
- The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at antifraudcentre.ca (Canada)
Contact your bank or remittance provider immediately — some transfers can be reversed if reported quickly enough.
You are not alone. Remittance fraud is a global problem. Report it so others are protected.
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