Fraud Videos - The Documentary Network

Internet Scamming in West Africa

Documentary.net staff — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 01:55:57 +0000

Fraudsters in West Africa show us how they use internet scams to steal thousands of dollars from unsuspecting victims all over the globe. -- While Nigeria's 401 scammers may have written the book on West African internet fraud, their shtick looks like Compuserve compared to what's going on in Ghana. Unsatisfied with the meager winnings from emailing thousands of random Westerners in hopes of convincing one poor sap they're the treasurer of the Ivory Coast, Ghana's scammers decided to stack the odds in their favor the old-fashioned way—witchcraft. Taking a page from cyberpunk, traditional West African Juju priests adapted their services to the needs of the information age and started leading down-on-their-luck internet scammers through strange and costly rituals designed to increase their powers of persuasion and make their emails irresistible to greedy Americans. And so "Sakawa" was born. Now not only is Sakawa Ghana's most popular youth activity and one of its biggest underground economies, it's a full-blown national phenomenon. Sakawa has its own tunes, clothing brands, Sakawasploitation flicks, and even a metastatic backlash from Christian preachers and the press. When we were in Accra over the summer it was impossible to walk more than 10 feet without seeing the word Sakawa in blood-red Misfits letters on a poster or tabloid, often accompanied by bone-chilling horrors of the photoshopped variety. The government is freaked out because Sakawa is threatening Ghana's business reputation, the Christians are freaked out because they're losing money to the Juju priests, the press is freaked out because being freaked out is what sells papers, and the public is freaked out because their government, preacher, and media are all telling them they should be. All the while the Sakawa boys are living the high life and racking up debts to the spirit world, just waiting for the axe to fall. Hosted by Thomas Morton | Originally released in 2011

Fraud – Fake Passports, Bills, the Lifestyle of Fraudsters

Documentary.net staff — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 18:58:35 +0000

If the fraud industry were its own country, it would have the fifth strongest economy in the world, just ahead of the UK. Come and meet the fraudsters who're making a killing from the fastest growing crime on Earth. Fake passports, utility bills... No problem.Part 2 shows us how easy it is to make a fake passport, fake utility bills, and obtain £5,000 credit from a high street jewelers. In Part 3 we take a trip to ex-gangster Dave Courtney's house, with Tony and two dancers who introduce us to the lifestyle and adoration a successful fraudster can expect.

Drug Money – Fraud and Corruption in US Pharmaceutical Industry

Documentary.net staff — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 17:43:46 +0000

This documentary investigates fraud and corruption running through the veins of the US pharmaceutical industry. The US healthcare industry is the world's biggest, with $300bn per year spent on prescription drugs. For many these drugs have brought undeniable benefits. But recent months have seen health scandal after health scandal making headlines in the US. Two of the world's biggest pharmaceutical companies have been fined billions of dollars after investigations into their secret working practices. What these cases have revealed will change the way the drug industry is perceived forever. Revelations have emerged of pervasive fraud, fatal side effects, and huge kick-backs paid to doctors. This investigation by Melanie Newman and Chris Woods reveals how healthcare became unhealthy profit.