American Investigator Says Probe Into Nigerian Cybercrime Exposed ‘Yahoo Plus’ Ritual Claims
American cybercrime investigator Erin West and investigative journalist Paul Raffile have shared insights from their visit to Nigeria, where they explored the operations of suspected internet fraud syndicates as part of Operation Shamrock, a project examining global cyber scams.
Speaking on the Stolen Podcast, the pair recounted their experiences in Lagos while investigating the phenomenon popularly referred to as “Yahoo Plus,” a term commonly used to describe the belief among some alleged internet fraudsters that spiritual rituals or charms can enhance their success.
According to West, the investigation led them through difficult terrain, including refuse dumps, in search of locations where alleged spiritual charms were said to be prepared.
“On our trip to track down scammers in Lagos, Nigeria, we uncovered something shocking. We found out that ‘Yahoo Plus’ is a real thing and that some Yahoo Boys perform rituals and obtain charms to help them manipulate their victims. We even had to search through heaps of dirt and refuse to find the hideout where these charms were made,” she said.
Beyond the alleged ritual practices, West said what surprised her most was the contrast between the suspects’ behaviour offline and online.
“It was so strange to me to see these people with very, very kind hearts in person being able to do such horribly mean things over the internet.”
According to the investigators, many of the individuals they encountered were polite, answered questions and even assisted them in navigating unfamiliar and difficult locations, despite knowing they were investigating cybercrime.
The pair suggested that this reflected what they described as a level of emotional detachment, where some alleged scammers appeared personable in face-to-face interactions while allegedly carrying out sophisticated online fraud schemes targeting victims abroad.
Their comments have reignited conversations about cybercrime in Nigeria and the complex social realities surrounding internet fraud.
While the investigators reported encountering beliefs surrounding “Yahoo Plus,” cybersecurity experts generally maintain that online scams are primarily driven by techniques such as phishing, impersonation, romance scams and psychological manipulation rather than supernatural influence. As a result, claims about ritual practices remain matters of belief among some individuals and are not established explanations for the success of cyber fraud.
The discussion has continued to generate interest online, with many listeners turning to the Stolen Podcast to hear the investigators’ firsthand account of their time in Nigeria and the lessons they drew from the experience.
