Protect Yourself

I have spent a lot of time in Ghana helping people with their computers. I have helped people clean their computers of viruses and malware. I’ve installed security software, operating systems, and utilities. I’ve repaired damaged folders and drives. I’ve consulted(made decisions) on what type of computer to purchase, and I’ve tutored colleagues and friends on computer use – from using a mouse and setting up email, to creating PowerPoint presentations and editing movies.

Computing in Ghana is just coming of age. Internet access is quickly improving here, evident by the number of Net Cafes springing up. Home computing is a bit less common, but still occurs – usually through mobile networks (the cost of home broadband is prohibitive for most: anywhere from $25 to $50 a month for a connection that would have American users tossing their computers out the window). Many home computers are purchased used, hand-me-downs from the UK and US – one I worked on recently still wore its ID tag from Heinz Corporation, others have the marks of academia or government. The sellers of these devices normally sell from road-side stands or cramped, closet-like offices. “Buyer Beware” prevails.

Technology is expensive here. Massive import tariffs, high shipping costs, and the inability to buy online in Ghana combine to pinch supply. Many Ghanaians turn to the Diaspora to buy computers abroad and ship or carry them back home. Some enterprising folks are able to acquire a bulk supply of computers, then work to market them at schools and universities. I’ve seen two such efforts take place here during my time. Their prices seem to be fair – for the Ghana computer market – with prices running about 10-30% higher than the US market. This markup seems to cover the cost of acquisition, leaving only a slim profit margin. For specialty hardware – routers, card readers, projectors – prices are much higher, often 2 to 3 times higher than in American. I recently looked for a wireless router and found asking prices to be in the $140 range. Similar equipment might run you $50 in the US.

But acquisitions aside, three more problems plague computer users in Ghana – and likely in many other developing countries as well. First, computer owners have invested a huge share of their incomes to acquire this technology. To buy a new, but run-of-the-mill, laptop many have to cough up a sum equal to, or more than, their entire monthly pre-tax income. And, as computer users know, technology in this sector quickly becomes outdated, so upgrades and replacements become a huge burden too.

Second, the cost of acquiring software is prohibitive: Operating systems, office suites, anti-virus. I’ve seen more pirated versions of Windows, Office, and Norton in 5 months here than I have in the rest of my life. In fact, apart from a few brand new computers, I think every one I have come across is running a cracked version of one of these three softwares. In most cases, pirated software either doesn’t work properly (for instance, most cracked versions of Windows will not allow patches and security fixes from Microsoft) or is riddled with viruses. It’s a crude analogy, but completely accurate: The vast majority of portable drives (flash, pen, or thumb drives) carry viruses. If you aren’t using protection in the form of a working, updated anti-virus program, you will become infected. Practicing safe-computing here is a must!

And third, the dawn of the cyber-era in Ghana is coming more than a decade into the Internet Age. This means computer users here are entering a world that is rife with threats from experienced online crooks and bullies – and I’m talking advertisers. If you have been surfing the web for a few years, you probably have learned to differentiate between a valid link to desirable information, and a sponsored link that will take you to a vendor’s portal. Often there are subtle clues that help us spot the dark cyber-alleys: links whose text is slightly different in styles or size than the rest of the page; a tiny, well-hidden disclaimer noting “ads sponsored by Google”; a difficult-to-spot ‘x’ that allows the user to close the advertisement; or sometimes the ad’s location on the page (along the top of side banner). But a new computer user, entering a cyber market that’s as unregulated as the wild west, has little chance of emerging from these dangerous digital alleys unscathed. Spyware, adware, malware, trojans, worms, spam, phishing…all out there waiting for the unsuspecting surfer to fall into their trap.

Take these problems as one and you have a daunting challenge facing Ghanaians trying to join the digital age. In a dangerous world one needs the savvy to avoid danger, the tools to protect themselves when they do encounter a problem, and the resources to repair any damages done, none of which most Ghanaians can claim.

 

(In a later post I plan to detail some steps, and free tools people in LDCs or the US can and should use to protect themselves from digital threats.)

Clear and Present Danger

The weather here has been notably abnormal this year in Ghana. When I arrived in December I was told to expect Harmattan – the annual prevailing wind shift to the north, bringing Saharan dust and “low” humidity to the coastal region – and that it would last until March or April. Well, it never came. Instead, these months have been marked by warm temperatures (low-to-mid 90s), high humidity (low 90’s at night), and very little rain.

Harmattan is supposed to end with the rainy season and temps begin to fall into the low-80s.

Since we had no harmattan I guess all rules are off. Now it’s mid-April, and we haven’t seen the rain, and temps are only going up!

Check out the heat index table below. The black lines shows today’s combination:

Sakawa

In Ghana there is a word, ‘sakawa’, that means ‘fake’ or ‘fraud.’ It’s the Ghanaian equivalent to the Nigerian 419 internet scam. Young Ghanaian men (and rarely women) use the Internet to defraud foreigners, often Americans, by convincing them to send large sums of money to bank accounts or wire services abroad. The victims usually think they are enabling a pretty, young woman to come for a visit. Here’s an example from a news report this month:

A 19- year-old man, Adnan Abdul Ralph, believed to be a cyber fraudster (known in local parlance as 'sakawa' or 'pen pal' boy), is aiding the Agona Swedru Divisional Police Command in its investigations into his alleged defraud of an American to the tune of $6,420.

Ralph, described by the police as a school dropout, and jobless, reportedly used a feminine voice under the name Grace Rockson to defraud [American] Simone Layfield Duke through the Internet.

According to the crime officer, Duke sent down a message to the police complaining about the suspicious demeanour of Ralph who had duped him (Duke) on several occasions (through the use of a female voice) claiming to be called Grace Rockson, thereby making him fall in love with 'her'.

As a result, in December 2009 Mr Duke sent down $1,300 for Grace to visit him in the US as a tourist, adding that an additional $2,000 was sent, since tourists to the US were required to have that much on them.

However, the purported lady never arrived in the US, only for Ralph to send a letter telling Duke that his sister (Grace) who was to have visited Duke had been arrested at the airport by the airport security for carrying two bags of gold just when she was about to enplane to join him (Duke) in the US.

Ralph was also quoted as having said in the letter that he needed $2,000 from Duke to enable him to free Grace from that trouble.

"And it began to dawn on Duke that it was a scam," the officer noted, adding, "Then, again the boy communicated with Duke, saying that he (Ralph) had managed to get his sister out of jail but that their mother had had a heart attack with, the likelihood of dying if she did not have immediate surgery."

"Meanwhile (Ralph) had sent a letter on a fake police letterhead signed by Major Courage Quashigah (retd), now deceased, together with a fake medical report from the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, purportedly signed by Dr Emmanuel Smith, allegedly coming from Miss Grace Smith with a request for $1,500 from Duke to enable Miss Rockson to get medical treatment for her mother," he added.

The officer stated that the American smelt a rat and informed the Agona Swedru Police that he suspected that he was being duped by Ralph and his sister.

"Duke added that he was going to inform Ralph that he had sent some money through a bank in Swedru so he should go for it. And just as Ralph was about to withdraw the said amount from the bank, we swooped in on him," he added.

The Ghanaian attitude towards sakawa is usually critical, but there are a number of people here who tolerate, and even applaud, such scams. Here is a representative sampling of comments posted to the website that hosted this sakawa story:

This white people came into our country without invitations, and took us as slaves, stole our golds, why britain is our pricesing gols but we don't get gold in britain? now this is the only way we can pay them back and now this Ghana police who have no job to do will spent their time to investigate this, when spiritual killings are in Ghana, you can't investigate, we have Bawku issue, we have Techiman issue and so many, Ghana police its time you respect Ghanaians and stop yr foolish act of respecting the white people,

Arrest them all.Ghana's future is at risk if this is all the youth will be indulging in.Swedru is the heartbeat of this sakawa deal.Quick money,extravagant life style n corruption on the part of the security agencies are what have promoted this tax-free trade to date.

please leave the boy alone and forget about that dam american because the boy didn't steal from government .Many have stolen from government but are walking freely . leave the boy ooooo. shameless police dsp

THE MIRROR CAN GO TO HELL.THERE IS NOTHING WRONG TO TAKE THAT WHITE MAN'S MONEY .

FIRING SQUAD, SIMPLE AS THAT. GHANAs NAME IS AMONGST THE WORSE IN THIS KINDS OF SCAMS. WHY SHOULD GHANA BE KNOWN FOR THIS , WHY ?

Okay, I don't wish to encourage criminal activity, but seriously, how do you fall in love with a woman you have never met, let alone send so much money to the said lady? Aren't there women in America? This Duke fellow is obviously not too smart. I don't see any Ghanaian falling for this nonsense. It seems like living the soft life in America erodes people of their street smarts. At this rate even I am tempted to try this sakawa nonsense...just kidding! LOL

This boys and girls are a disgrace to this nation.They hate hard work and they want cheap money.So if this free money does not come then they go into stealing.They sit in the cafes from morning to evening or day break.What future do this children have? This are the future leaders. Look at the lies they design to get the cheap money.I pity them.

he should be pardoned cuz the white man also should have been matured enough to have viewed the so-called woman in a cam.he has lost.

let him go he didnt steal or even kill,did he? the white man should have been sensible enough to know what he was doing why is he the only person who knows love if then why didnt he watch the supposed woman on cam.foolish white man

For me, if all the facts presented in the case is the truth, then set the boy free. this is because the so called American could not read dep into a third world country sense, he had suc a big hole in his mind to be outwitted by a scholl dropout.

I find this story laughable and Stu...d, especially trying to understand this. I have heard several of such escapedee by US Citizens and poor African guys and I sometimes wonder if the OLD Man upstairs had given us a similar enviroment that these guys have in US, we would even come to the US and buy their White House. I just cant believe these hollow stories. Someone claims he/she loves you and then you part with so much money? Duke is even lucky and I urge the police to leave this boy alone. I have even heard of between 35 to $160K, so this $1K is peanut. As for using the fake documents, sometimes they even use the Ghana Police letterheads, the Judiciary etc. even fake Newspaper publications. These guys are "smart". What I find wrong is what they use the money for and what impression they create in their neighbourhood. The police must just investigate what he used the money for, and make sure it is not hard drugs. The whites have all the medium to check through the website. We must not use our resources trying to educate the international world about how to deal with Ghanaians. We should just make our websites very easily accessible. And try to past photographs of officials to every news story. The Photograph of President Ngueso of Congo was used to defraud a white guy of millions of dollars, Why?

this is no criminal offense........ in fact what even makes it one... ah......

GH¢2

Ghana is getting a new bank note: a GH¢2 (2 Ghana Cedis). It has a picture of Ghana's first president: Kwame Nkrumah (This year is the 100th anniversary of his birth). Just like in the US, Ghana has bills for values of 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 (I think, never seen one). But so many things cost in the .50 to 5.00 range I can see why a bill of 2.00 would be handy.

Videos

Wednesday mornings the students and staff are required to attend a worship service.

 

I met this girl in a village in the Eastern Region, and she was proud to show my how they tie the cloth wrap used to carry babies on their back.

 

While attending funerals in a colleague's home village I stopped to try my first road side fried bread - hot as lava!