Advance Fee Scams in Botswana
How advance fee fraud targets Batswana with fake business deals, inheritance notifications, and government grant schemes.
Part of: Advance Fee Scams
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Advance fee scams in Botswana arrive via email, SMS, and WhatsApp, promising recipients access to large sums of money — from business deals involving diamond or mining revenues, from inheritances, or from foreign grants — in exchange for a series of upfront fees. Each fee paid generates a demand for another until the victim realises no payout is coming.
Botswana's relatively strong economy and reputation as a stable, business-friendly country make it a target for scammers who construct advance fee narratives around diamond industry wealth, government procurement deals, or cross-border trade opportunities.
How this scam works on Botswana
A Motswana receives an email or WhatsApp message from someone claiming to be a business executive, government official, or attorney with access to a large sum of money that needs a trusted local partner. The story may involve diamond industry proceeds, a foreign fund frozen in a bank, or an inheritance from a recently deceased businessperson.
The recipient is asked to pay fees for legal clearance, bank processing, or official stamps. After each payment, a new hurdle emerges. Victims who pay multiple times may be threatened with legal action if they demand a refund, adding fear to the manipulation.
Business owners in Botswana are sometimes targeted with procurement-specific variants: a supposed government official offers a lucrative contract in exchange for a 'goodwill deposit.'
Common red flags
- Unsolicited message from an unknown person offering a share of a large fund in exchange for assistance
- Any upfront fee required to access or release the funds
- Story involves high-value industries plausible in Botswana — diamonds, mining, government contracts
- Representative cannot be verified through publicly accessible official channels
- New fees keep appearing after each payment
- Threats of legal consequences for not proceeding
How to protect yourself
- No legitimate business or government deal requires a personal fee from the recipient before funds are released
- Verify any person or company through the Companies and Intellectual Property Authority (CIPA) of Botswana
- Consult an independent Botswana-registered attorney before paying anything related to a business claim
- Never make payments based solely on promises made via email or messaging apps
- Stop all payments and contact police if you have already paid — further payment will not unlock anything
How to report it
- Report to the Botswana Police Service — the Anti-Corruption Unit handles fraud referrals
- Report to the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) if a government body was impersonated
- Contact your bank immediately if a transfer was made to attempt a recall
Frequently asked questions
The sender claims to work for a real diamond company I've heard of — how do I check that?
Contact the company directly through contact details you find independently — its official website or a listed phone number — not through anything provided by the person who messaged you. Genuine companies can confirm or deny whether the named individual actually works there.
Is it risky to negotiate the fee down if I think I can get a better deal?
Negotiating still confirms you're engaging and willing to pay something, which tends to invite further demands rather than a final resolution. There is no legitimate version of this transaction at any price — the safest response is to stop all contact rather than negotiate terms.
What if the scammer threatens legal action if I stop responding?
These threats are empty pressure tactics with no real legal basis — you haven't entered into any binding agreement by receiving a message. Don't be intimidated into paying; report the threat to the Botswana Police Service and stop all further communication.
Why do advance fee scammers specifically reference diamonds and mining in Botswana?
Botswana is the world's largest diamond-producing country by value, and this is widely known. Scammers use plausible local industry references to make their story credible. If a stranger contacts you with a diamond-related business opportunity requiring a fee, that is precisely the kind of local-flavour story scammers construct — it does not make the offer legitimate.