Crime Information for Tourists in Sierra Leone

Entrenched poverty in Sierra Leone has led to criminality. Visitors and resident U.S. citizens have experienced armed mugging, assault, and burglary. Petty crime and pick-pocketing of wallets, cell phones, and passports are very common especially on the ferry to and from Lungi International Airport as well as in the bars, restaurants, and nightclubs in the Lumley Beach and Aberdeen areas of Freetown. The majority of these crimes against U.S. citizens are non-violent confrontations characterized as crimes of opportunity (i.e., pick-pocketing, theft of unattended possessions in public places or hotel rooms, bag snatching, and financial confidence scams). Law enforcement authorities usually respond to crimes slowly, if at all. Police investigative response is often incomplete and does not provide support to victims. Inefficiency and corruption are serious problems at all levels within the government of Sierra Leone. U.S. citizens traveling to or residing in Sierra Leone should maintain a heightened sense of awareness of their surroundings to help avoid becoming victims of crime.

Home invasions, especially targeting westerners, are extremely common in Sierra Leone. Most residential break-ins are perpetrated by small groups of well-organized, armed bandits equipped with tools. These criminals are motivated, intrepid, and aggressive. They do not fear confrontation and are often armed with machetes or homemade firearms. They often use stealth techniques to enter a residence, such as taking advantage of a rainstorm to mask their movements, sneaking past a sleeping guard, cutting through roofs, or tunneling under walls. Expatriates are frequent targets due to their perceived wealth.

Over the past, the U.S. Embassy has received several reports of crime perpetrated on westerners driving vehicles. In each case, cars were stopped in traffic or moving slowly when thieves reached in open windows or opened unlocked doors to steal purses, telephones, and a variety of other valuables from the unsuspecting motorist. Thefts tended to occur on poorly maintained roads requiring slow speed and elaborate maneuvering around potholes and drainage canals. Criminals also threw rocks and caused diversions to distract drivers while simultaneously entering the passenger side of the vehicle to steal property. Specifically, thieves have targeted Signal Hill Road (near the UNIPSIL Headquarters) in Western Freetown because it is a high-traffic area with poor road conditions, lack of street lights, and heavy foliage. For more information about driving safety, see the Embassy’s Security Messages for U.S. Citizens here.

The Embassy also receives regular reports from U.S. citizens investing in Sierra Leone who have been victims of fraud, often in the mining industry. While law enforcement authorities have been involved in investigating the cases, many remain unresolved. Investors are urged to proceed cautiously when engaging in business transactions with individuals presenting themselves as legitimate diamond or gold dealers. It is not uncommon for registered diamond or gold dealers to target foreigners using sophisticated financial scams resulting in significant financial loss.

Business fraud is rampant and the perpetrators often target foreigners, including U.S. citizens. Schemes previously associated with Nigeria are now also prevalent in Sierra Leone, and pose a danger of grave financial loss. Typically these scams begin with unsolicited communication (usually e-mails) from strangers who promise quick financial gain, often by transferring large sums of money or valuables out of the country, but then require a series of "advance fees" to be paid, such as fees for legal documents or taxes. The final payoff does not exist; the purpose of the scam is simply to collect the advance fees. A common variation is the scammer’s claim to be a refugee or émigré of a prominent West African family, or a relative of a present or former political leader who needs assistance in transferring large sums of cash. Still other variations appear to be legitimate business deals that require advance payments on contracts. Sometimes victims are convinced to provide bank account and credit card information and financial authorization that is used to drain their accounts, incur large debts against their credit, and take their life savings.

The best way to avoid becoming a victim of advance-fee fraud is common sense – if a proposition looks too good to be true, it probably is. You should carefully check and research any unsolicited business proposal before committing any funds, providing any goods or services, or undertaking any travel. It is virtually impossible to recover money lost through these scams. Please see the Department of State’s brochure on International Financial Scams for more information.

Don’t buy counterfeit and pirated goods, even if they are widely available. Not only are the bootlegs illegal in the United States, if you purchase them you may also be breaking local law.

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