Burkina Faso Scams: Tourist, Online & Investment Fraud Guide
Burkina Faso's security and economic challenges, alongside a growing mobile-money economy, drive advance-fee fraud, mobile-money phishing and gold-investment scams.
Emergency number: 17 — verify on official sources.
Last reviewed: 5 July 2026
Burkina Faso's ongoing security and economic challenges, combined with rapid mobile-money adoption through Orange Money and Moov Money, shape a scam landscape dominated by advance-fee fraud, mobile-money phishing and fake gold-investment schemes that trade on the country's status as a major gold producer. Instability in parts of the country also limits the practical reach of formal consumer-protection and police services outside major urban centers.
Common scams
- Advance-fee inheritance or 'unclaimed funds' scams demanding processing fees before release
- Mobile-money phishing (Orange Money, Moov Money) via SMS requesting PIN confirmation
- Fake gold-trading or mining-investment schemes exploiting Burkina Faso's status as a major gold producer
- Fraudulent NGO or humanitarian aid distribution scams collecting 'registration fees' from displaced people
Tourist-specific scams
- Unofficial guides at Ouagadougou markets and cultural sites charging inflated unofficial fees
- Currency exchange short-changing at informal money changers
Online shopping scams
- Phishing SMS impersonating mobile-money providers to harvest PINs and one-time codes
- Facebook Marketplace fraud for vehicles and electronics requiring advance mobile-money payment
- Fake scholarship or visa-lottery portals collecting application fees
Job scams
- Recruitment agencies charging upfront fees for mining or construction jobs that don't exist
- Fake NGO job postings requesting paid 'training' or 'registration' before hiring
Romance scams
- Foreign-persona profiles targeting victims abroad, later requesting money via mobile-money transfer for 'emergencies'
Investment scams
- Ponzi-style savings clubs ('tontines') and gold-investment schemes that collapse after collecting contributions
How to report a scam here
- Report to the Police Nationale or Gendarmerie, particularly units handling economic and financial crime
- Report mobile-money fraud directly to Orange or Moov's fraud line to attempt to freeze the destination account
- Report unauthorized bank transactions to your bank and escalate to the BCEAO if unresolved
- Preserve all SMS, transaction references and phone numbers used by the scammer
Local reporting & protection links
- Police Nationale du Burkina Faso — Report fraud at a local police station or gendarmerie
- BCEAO (regional central bank) — Escalate unresolved bank fraud complaints through your bank
Always verify reporting routes and emergency contacts on the official government or agency website for your country.
Bank & payment guidance
Contact your bank, or Orange Money or Moov Money if the payment left by mobile money, as quickly as you can and ask them to try to freeze the destination account before the balance is withdrawn. Use a number you look up yourself rather than one from the message you received. Explain that you were deceived into sending the money, ask for the receiving number to be reported, and note any reference you are given. Change your PIN if you entered or shared it, and escalate unresolved bank disputes to the BCEAO.
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 gold-investment offers linked to Burkina Faso trustworthy?
Legitimate access to Burkina Faso's gold sector runs through licensed mining and trading companies; unsolicited investment pitches promising high fixed returns from gold deals are almost always fraudulent.
What should I do about a suspicious Orange Money or Moov Money SMS?
Never reply with your PIN or a one-time code; verify any message by contacting the provider's official customer-service line directly rather than any number provided in the SMS itself.
Sources
- National police and cybercrime portals (verify on official sites)
- FTC / Action Fraud / Scamwatch consumer guidance