Togo Scams: Tourist, Online & Investment Fraud Guide
Togo has a long-standing association with West African advance-fee (419-style) internet fraud, alongside everyday tourist overcharging and taxi scams in Lomé.
Emergency number: 117 — verify on official sources.
Last reviewed: 5 July 2026
Togo, like several of its West African neighbors, has historically been linked to advance-fee and romance scams run from internet cafes in Lomé, though this activity is now more dispersed globally rather than uniquely Togolese. Tourists visiting beaches, markets and the Togo-Ville voodoo sites should expect routine overcharging by unlicensed taxi drivers and informal guides, plus occasional pressure to pay 'donations' at cultural or religious sites. More serious risks involve online scams: fake customs/inheritance emails claiming money is trapped in Togo, romance fraud on dating platforms, and fraudulent job or investment offers aimed at both locals and the diaspora.
Common scams
- Advance-fee ('419-style') emails claiming a large sum (inheritance, contract payment, lottery) is held up in Togo pending a fee
- Fake customs or diplomatic-pouch fraud claiming a parcel of money or gold is stuck at the airport
- Unlicensed taxi drivers charging tourists many times the standard fare from Lomé airport
- Unofficial 'guides' at markets and voodoo fetish sites demanding inflated fees or steering visitors to overpriced shops
Tourist-specific scams
- Street vendors and 'guides' at the Grand Marché pressuring tourists into overpriced purchases
- Unofficial money-changers offering favorable rates then shortchanging with counterfeit or old CFA franc notes
- Requests for unofficial 'photography fees' or 'donations' at cultural and religious sites
Online shopping scams
- Romance scams on dating apps and Facebook building relationships before requesting money
- Fake online shops and Facebook Marketplace listings taking payment with no delivery
- Phishing messages impersonating banks or mobile money providers (Flooz, T-Money) requesting PINs
Job scams
- Fake overseas job offers requiring upfront payment for visas, flights or 'processing fees'
- Local job scams collecting fees for training or uniforms for positions that don't exist
Romance scams
- Online partners who never meet in person but repeatedly request money for emergencies or travel
- Fake military or professional profiles targeting foreign users on dating and social media sites
Investment scams
- Ponzi schemes recruiting through church, family and social networks promising high fixed returns
- Unregistered forex and crypto trading groups advertised aggressively on Facebook and WhatsApp
How to report a scam here
- Report fraud attempts, threats or theft to the Police Nationale du Togo at the nearest commissariat
- For mobile-money fraud, contact your provider (Flooz/T-Money) immediately to freeze the account
- Report online scams to the platform used and, if you are a foreign victim, to your home country's cybercrime unit
- Never send money in response to unsolicited inheritance, customs or lottery emails referencing Togo
- Foreign visitors should also inform their embassy if victimized while in-country
Local reporting & protection links
- Police Nationale du Togo — Report in person at the nearest commissariat
- Police / emergency — Dial 117
Always verify reporting routes and emergency contacts on the official government or agency website for your country.
Bank & payment guidance
Contact your bank or mobile-money provider immediately to freeze the account and dispute any unauthorized transaction; report the incident to police to obtain a reference number your bank may require.
Evidence to preserve
- Screenshot all messages, profiles, websites and payment pages
- Save transaction references, account numbers and crypto wallet addresses
- Keep emails with full headers where possible
- Note dates, times, names and phone numbers used
Frequently asked questions
Are 'inheritance' or 'trapped funds' emails referencing Togo real?
No, these are advance-fee fraud. Legitimate inheritances, contracts or diplomatic transfers never require you to pay a fee upfront to release funds; delete and report such emails.
Is Lomé safe for tourists?
Yes, violent crime against tourists is uncommon, but agree on taxi and guide fees before starting a trip, and use hotel-arranged transport where possible to avoid overcharging.
Sources
- National police and cybercrime portals (verify on official sites)
- FTC / Action Fraud / Scamwatch consumer guidance