The Yahoo Boys by Carlos Barragan (2026), 304 pages
After
his mom falls for a Nigerian romance scammer, Barragan (a Spanish journalist)
goes to Lagos to better understand the lives of Yahoo Boys and what drives them
to commit these frauds. This was a fascinating look into a world most
westerner's do not fully understand. Barragan does a fantastic job of
humanizing the scammer's and delving into the economic realities of life in
Nigeria. He discusses Nigeria's long culture of deception and, particularly,
it's involvement in internet schemes. We all remember the Nigerian Prince
emails, but those morphed into celebrity dupes (his own mother believing she
was corresponding with Brad Pitt) to outright romances and blackmail.
Personally, I had no idea that bitcoin and gift cards played so heavily into
these scenarios. Barragan also touches upon the loneliness epidemic that helps
fuel the success of romance scammers and the affect it has on their targets.
Finally, he discusses the Nigerian diaspora and how those living abroad are
frustrated by the Yahoo Boys and the reputation they give all Nigerians. There
is a lot to unpack in this book and I highly recommend you give it a read. It
will have you thinking about for a long time.
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