Guinea-Bissau Scams: Tourist, Online & Investment Fraud Guide
Guinea-Bissau's limited banking infrastructure and cash economy make it a target for advance-fee, mobile money and cashew-trade investment fraud.
Last reviewed: 5 July 2026
Guinea-Bissau is one of West Africa's smallest and least-banked economies, and its main export crop, cashew nuts, is regularly used as bait in fake commodity-trading investment schemes aimed at foreign buyers. With formal banking reaching only a fraction of the population, mobile money and cash transactions dominate, and scammers exploit this by impersonating transfer agents or offering fake currency exchange. Visitors are few, so tourist-specific scams are less documented, but travelers should still be alert to inflated informal fees at ports and border crossings.
Common scams
- Fake cashew nut export or commodity-trading deals targeting foreign buyers with upfront fees
- Advance-fee scams referencing Guinea-Bissau government contracts or oil exploration deals
- Mobile money agent impersonation to obtain PINs or redirect transfers
- Currency exchange short-changing using damaged or obsolete CFA franc notes
Tourist-specific scams
- Informal 'fees' demanded by unofficial intermediaries at the port of Bissau or land borders
- Unlicensed guides or fixers offering help with paperwork for an unadvertised fee
- Inflated taxi and boat-transport fares quoted specifically to foreign visitors
Online shopping scams
- Facebook Marketplace and WhatsApp sales for goods that never ship after payment
- Phishing messages impersonating mobile money providers requesting account PINs
- Fake international job or scholarship offers requiring upfront processing fees
Job scams
- Recruiters charging fees for overseas jobs or seafaring contracts that turn out not to exist
- Fake NGO hiring campaigns collecting personal documents and a 'registration fee'
Romance scams
- Online relationships developed over months before a request for money to cover a 'travel emergency'
- Profiles claiming to be foreign professionals or military personnel building trust before asking for funds
Investment scams
- Unregistered cashew-export or agricultural investment schemes promising guaranteed high returns
- Cryptocurrency or forex trading groups promoted on social media with no verifiable local presence
How to report a scam here
- Stop payment immediately and contact your mobile money provider to attempt to block the transfer
- Report the incident at the nearest Polícia Judiciária or Polícia de Ordem Pública station and request a written record
- Contact your bank branch in person, as phone fraud lines are limited
- If funds were sent internationally, notify your home bank or card issuer to dispute the charge
- Avoid engaging further with the scammer once you suspect fraud; preserve all messages as evidence
Local reporting & protection links
- Polícia Judiciária — Report in person at the nearest police station in Bissau
- Mobile money fraud — Contact your mobile money provider's customer service line directly
Always verify reporting routes and emergency contacts on the official government or agency website for your country.
Bank & payment guidance
Go to your bank branch in person as soon as you can, since phone-based fraud desks are limited, and ask for a written incident record you can use in any dispute. Say clearly that you were deceived into authorizing the payment, and ask for the transfer to be stopped and the receiving account reported. If mobile money was used, contact the provider straight away to try to block it. If you shared a PIN or login details, change them and say so, and keep every message and receipt.
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 cashew trade investment offers from Guinea-Bissau safe?
Be very cautious of unsolicited cashew or commodity export deals; verify any company through Guinea-Bissau's chamber of commerce before wiring funds.
What should I do if I sent money via mobile money to a scammer?
Contact your mobile money provider immediately, as some transfers can be halted within a short window, and file a police report the same day.
Sources
- National police and cybercrime portals (verify on official sites)
- FTC / Action Fraud / Scamwatch consumer guidance