Advance-Fee Scams in Mozambique
How advance-fee fraud targets Mozambique residents and diaspora with promises of large windfalls in exchange for upfront payments.
Part of: Advance Fee Scams
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Advance-fee fraud has a long history across sub-Saharan Africa, and Mozambique is no exception. Scammers exploit the country's developing financial infrastructure and relatively limited consumer-protection awareness to lure victims into paying fees for prizes, inheritances, or business deals that never materialise.
Victims in Mozambique are often approached through social media, WhatsApp groups, or direct SMS messages. The promise typically involves a large sum of money — an unclaimed inheritance, a lottery win, or a lucrative export contract — that requires a modest upfront fee to unlock. Once the initial payment is made, further fees appear until the victim runs out of money or realises the deception.
How this scam works on Mozambique
In Mozambique, scammers frequently pose as lawyers or government officials claiming to hold funds on behalf of deceased foreign nationals whose estate matches the victim's surname. Victims are told that a small legal processing fee — payable via mobile money platforms such as M-Pesa Mozambique — will release a large inheritance.
A second common variant targets small-business owners and traders in Maputo and Beira with fake export contracts. The fraudster poses as a foreign buyer offering above-market prices for cashews, prawns, or coal, but demands an advance payment to cover 'export licensing' before the deal proceeds.
Job-seekers are also targeted: fake recruitment agencies advertise positions in the Gulf states and promise to arrange visas in exchange for an upfront fee, then disappear once payment is received.
Common red flags
- Unsolicited contact about a large inheritance or lottery prize you never entered
- Requests for payment via mobile money or informal channels before any service is delivered
- Urgency tactics — being told the offer expires within 24–48 hours
- Requests for personal ID documents alongside payment
- Grammatically poor messages that reference generic 'African legal procedures'
- The 'lawyer' or 'official' has no verifiable office address or registration number
How to protect yourself
- Never pay any fee upfront to receive a prize, inheritance, or job offer
- Verify any company or legal firm through the Mozambique Bar Association or relevant government registry
- Use official bank channels for business transactions rather than informal mobile-money transfers to strangers
- Confirm job offers directly with the employer's official website or embassy before paying any recruitment fee
- Warn family members and community contacts about common advance-fee scripts circulating on WhatsApp
How to report it
- File a complaint with the Polícia da República de Moçambique (PRM) cybercrime or financial crimes unit
- Report to the Banco de Moçambique if the scam involved fraudulent financial intermediaries
- Inform your mobile-money provider (e.g., M-Pesa Mozambique) so the recipient account can be reviewed
Frequently asked questions
Can I get my money back after paying an advance fee in Mozambique?
Recovery is very difficult. Mobile-money transfers are typically irreversible once confirmed. Report immediately to your provider and to the police — early reporting gives the best chance of flagging the recipient account.