The Yahoo Boys: Love, Deception, and the Real Lives of Nigeria's Romance Scammers

by Carlos Barragán

A New York Times Most Anticipated Nonfiction Book of 2026

"I have found few books lately as immediately compelling as Barragán's, and as a reader, I could not put it down . . . The Yahoo Boys is a tour-de-force." —Jon Lee Anderson

"[Carlos] Barragán's writing is as personal as it is informative, and narrator Nathan Luwa is phenomenal, especially with dialogue. Listeners will be riveted." — BookPage (Starred Review)

"An enviable feat of reportage and writing—as intrepid as it is sympathetic." —Gideon Lewis-Kraus

An astonishing work of immersion journalism about four young romance scammers in Lagos, Nigeria, exploring how and why they scam, and the moral dilemmas they face

When his mother started emailing with a handsome American soldier who promised to send gold bars to her Madrid apartment, the journalist Carlos Barragán came face to face with the human toll of online romance fraud. After tracing the emails to an IP address in Nigeria, he set off on a journey to Lagos find his mother’s scammer, where he stumbled on a much bigger story. There, in a crowded and impoverished neighborhood in the midst of Africa’s largest city, he encountered thousands of young men engaged in romance scamming. They call themselves “Yahoo Boys,” and each year they catfish millions of dollars from lonely victims overseas, building a dizzying local economy from their phones.

In this astonishing work of immersion journalism, Barragán takes us inside the lives of four of the Yahoo Boys of Lagos. We meet Biggy and Chibuike, each struggling with the temptations of fast money; Azeez, a tailor’s apprentice caught between the lure of crime and Nigeria’s economic crisis; and Richie, who is convinced that he’s responsible for the death of a woman in Kentucky he manipulated online for years. Some Yahoo Boys attain the status of folk heroes, buying houses and cars with the money they make, while others become dependent on drugs and “cash out”—successfully scam a victim—only to lose it all.

Through the Yahoo Boys’ twisting fortunes, Barragán discovers the psychological tactics they perfect, the brutal economic realities that drive them, and the moral dilemmas they confront. A work of radical empathy, this book reveals the human face behind a global phenomenon, and shows how loneliness in the West and poverty in Nigeria are two sides of the same screen.

A Macmillan Audio production from Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Genres: Nonfiction, True Crime, Audiobook, Africa, Nigeria, Memoir, History

Audible Audio

First published June 9, 2026

About the author

Carlos Barragán is a reporter and researcher for The New York Times based in Madrid. He was formerly a reporter at El Confidencial before receiving his MFA in nonfiction writing from Columbia University. The Yahoo Boys is his first book.

Reviews

[Jeanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a good book, well written, the audio was great, the subject very interesting. But I had to put it down at 50% because the material is just heart wrenching and I had enough.

[Etta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. The author did an excellent job of humanizing both sides of romance scams.

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Katy Perry Catfish episode on steroids

[Marisa]

A compassionate, balanced, and heartwrenching deep dive. Felt like an ethnography at points, which was ideal. It covered a bunch of related topics: adoption scams, juju, housing, politics, Christianity in Nigeria. One lingering question: The book (perhaps because of the author's access limitations) implies yahoo is a last resort that only the most impoverished undertake. Like drug dealing in the United States, I wonder if it actually happens at a wider range of income and class levels, but the media narrative just wouldn't indicate it. Great book, finished audiobook within days. Good quotes as well. ("In fact, the only time I feared for my life while researching this book was in Kentucky." - lol)

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nuanced and compassionate narrative journalism about western loneliness, Nigerian poverty, American tech and government corruption. I’m glad this humanizes all involved but it’s absolutely gut wrenching 💔

[LLJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

My gratitude to #MacmillanAudio and to #NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review The Yahoo Boys. I really love #audiobooks and well-researched journalism makes for compelling material. This book absolutely falls under that classification. Carlos Barragán does an outstanding job diving deep into the world of romance scammers, in this case originating in and around Lagos, Nigeria (specifically a city within called Ikotun).

The author briefly references scams in parts of Asia that are organized as slave labor along with the burgeoning AI market (which will, in my opinion, enable scamming, theft, and fraud to reach all new levels of emotional and financial destruction). This book does a great job in showing "how?!?" otherwise capable, intelligent people "fall for" these scams. There is an epidemic of loneliness and this form of criminal manipulation feeds right into that very human frailty. The polished vehicle of Artificial Intelligence, I imagine, may make it unstoppable. And with social media, especially since the pandemic, the loneliness market is thriving.

The author deeply commits to his research, at least initially, because of personal experience impacting his own mother in Madrid. She had been the victim of a romance scam originating from Nigeria. He decides to track down the source of the scam and, in the process, makes the acquaintance of a consistently reliable local journalist (his "fixer") named Bukola Omoseni who is well-respected and who opens doors that would otherwise be inaccessible (or at least less so). This gentleman accompanies the author as translator and liaison -- becoming a good friend of the author's in the process. The author makes it clear in the epilogue that the quality of the book would not be nearly the same without the help of this gentleman.

Barragán hooks the reader in right away with his personal account of his mother's experience (which was fortunately realized as fraud before more emotional and related damage could be inflicted). The remainder of the book is organized into chapters based on the primary "characters" four Yahoo boys -- Biggy, Richie, Azeez, and Chibuike -- with similar hustles but very different circumstances and personal backgrounds. Poverty looms large in all of their lives and in the lives of most of the people around them, their families in particular. Consistent employment options and school -- what westerners would view as the legal and traditional avenues for success -- simply do not exist for them.

Mention is made of government corruption and the author does a decent, though limited, job describing Nigeria's history (dependence and independence) and the financial ramifications of government decisions (on things like oil for instance). The cultural view of the Yahoo Boys - via online "education" and the availability of scamming scripts/seeing others "cash out" is that this work is justified -- the monies earned are reparations (only a small piece of what is owed to them for of past oppression and injustice).

An inherent difficulty exists in seeing the young men (and women) as criminals (and victims) within the bigger framework of the world. Our tendency is to simplify people and situations into definable categories (victim/perpetrator, good/bad) but in the macrocosm of the larger world there is really no clear "fairness." What they are doing is wrong, but what corruption at the government level does is also very wrong. Everything is interrelated though we find it painful to view things as such.

The author does a reasonable job demonstrating that this is not some greater crime syndicate (as it is in some countries) but young, primarily male, adolescents making their way with the limited resources they have available. The are learning by watching and emulating those who garner the respect of many business owners and people in the community because of the "free" way they spread their ill-obtained monies (some actively sharing, others flaunting - both to the same desired outcomes). Some get entangled in drugs and meet their own ends (shells of a once big-deal Yahoo boys they were).

This type of scam is not limited to boys, there are Yahoo women as well and one of the best aspects of the book was the introduction of "Miracle" - a female scammer, savvier than all of them - and the background on how/why she embodies the scammer role over time. The women in this book may be on different ends of the scamming process -- Trisha and Theresa as victims to the boys -- but the emotional variables that bring them to their situations share similarities.

There's a lot to think about within the pages of this book and I enjoyed its cultural and sociological edges.. It is coming out on the dawn of what will likely be a surge in AI generated crime (which has already begun) and I believe, in many ways, will make this type of fraud look nostalgic in the not too distant future. Like the Nigerian Prince, referenced many times in the book, which took on humorous connotations, the age of Romance Scamming, with ANY level of conscience or consequence on the part of the scammer, is likely over.

[Rachel Matthews · Rating 4 out of 5]

I previously read and enjoyed 'Keanu Reeves Is Not In Love With You' by Becky Holmes which covers similar subject matter to The Yahoo Boys and I was intrigued to explore a different take on the topic.

Where Holmes' book was a series of cautionary tales with some humour sprinkled in, this book is sadder and more reflective.

Yahoo boys are Nigerian scammers who extort money from Westerners by posing as someone likely to win the trust of their victims. This can range from portraying themselves as an American soldier, a celebrity or a model.

And 'boys' is really the key word here. These scammers typically begin their life of crime in their teens as a way to escape an uncertain future or a life of poverty. Their tools are fairly unsophisticated and they commit their misdeeds with nothing more than a few scripts, internet access and a mobile phone.

Carlos Barragán starts his investigative journalism journey in search of the romance fraud scammer who stole from his own mother. This quest takes him to Nigeria and, while he never finds his mother's scammer, he discovers a more complex landscape than he anticipated.

Barragán focuses on four Yahoo boys and even speaks to a Yahoo girl at one point. Their reasons for starting to scam are sometimes wrapped in bravado. "We're taking back what the white man stole from us" is one line of reasoning that is used; " These white people are stupid, addicted to sex or gullible - they deserve what they get" is another.

However, when Barragán digs deeper he discovers that, in truth, the Yahoo boys' choices are largely driven by fear - fear of poverty and a future fighting for scraps on the bottom rung of Nigeria's social ladder. Equally the Westerners falling victim to the Yahoo boys also do so out of fear. In their case it is a fear of loneliness combined with an unwillingness to let go of a relationship that has come to mean a lot to them even while costing them so much.

Barragán acknowledges that, by default, the Yahoo boys willing to talk to him are the ones no longer profiting from their scams. The more successful ones would not want to risk exposure or, if they did, they expected to be financially compensated in exchange for any information - something Barragán was not willing to do.

Barragán also acknowledges in his notes that he needed a 'hook' to help his narrative non-fiction stand out as a non-native English speaker who publishers would be less willing to take a risk on. To some degree, he was using these scammers' experiences for a good story.

I appreciated Barragán's openness about the origins of his book and, for me, it did not take away from the fact that he has written a compelling and valuable contribution to the discourse around romance fraud.

I also appreciated that Barragán did not perpetuate stereotypes about Nigeria and its people. He clearly disapproves of what these Yahoo boys have done but he still sees their humanity and he gives them dignity whilst never making apologies for their wrongdoing.

I would recommend The Yahoo Boys to readers looking for a nuanced exploration of the practice of romance fraud in Nigeria from the perspective of the young men commiting these crimes. To combat the heartbreak and devastation that comes from these scams, we must first understand the reasons why they occur in the first place. This book takes us a step closer to reaching this understanding.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to be an early reader of this book.

[Taylor M · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a 90 Day Fiance and Catfished fan, romance scams are not something I am unfamiliar with. I was stoked to see a story, heavily researched and close to the author's heart, on the phenomenon of Yahoo boys (and girls). This was not a disappointment, and honestly, it will remain a highly recommended read of mine. I love when nonfiction stories are led by journalists who choose to fully immerse themselves in their stories. His commitment to this story was evident from chapter one. What begins as a quest to find answers for his mother ends in a deep connection to the culture, the struggles of its people, and a better understanding of how individuals find themselves scamming others. Not only that, but he delves into the addiction that it becomes.

What I enjoyed most about this story was the shift in POVs. Each Yahoo boy had such a different background, yet somehow they all ended up in the same or similar situations. The lifestyle of Yahoo boys most certainly has a flash to it-drugs, drinking, notoriety. It's easy to see how young men and women are swept up into it when they are simply trying to afford food and comfort. Unfortunately, we also see that the lifestyle slowly devolves into a monster that takes over their lives. Barragan does a beautiful job of highlighting their poor situations. He shows empathy and makes the reader feel like there can (and maybe should) be sympathy for these individuals. Yet, in the same breath, you can see Barragan still struggle as he also witnesses them having zero remorse for their actions. This story showcased that, while they do villainous things, there is humanity to be found and sympathy to be expressed. Nothing is as black-and-white as many might think.

One thing I wish this story could have provided more of was a stronger background setup. I want a little more of the historical context. Why has Nigeria become one of the largest countries for scammers? Why is there such a massive wealth gap? Reparations for slavery are often noted as reasons the Yahoo boys choose to scam Americans; however, what was the true cost of the Trans-Atlantic slavetrade? I think that, due to how fascinating and well-written this book has sparked an interest in me that makes me desire even more information on the subject. And that is the sign of an excellent nonfiction exposé.

This book definitely scratched an itch I didn't even know I had. The narrator was phenomenal- especially with the accents. I don't know if I would have enjoyed this story nearly as much without the added benefit of the narrator. It really brought the individuals showcased to life. Highly recommend this read but especially in the audio format.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ALC in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Online Eccentric Librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/

This was a rather fascinating read: while writing a book on modern day loneliness, the author decided to track down his mother's Nigerian romance scammer to find out why his mother fell for the ruse. Along the way he made several revelations about the nature of the scams and the people who commit them. Although he states at the end he never intended to do an academic study of romance scams and instead tell the story of four scammers, there are a lot of fascinating revelations in here.

The book is not about justifying or rationalizing the scammers or the victims; rather, it is an eye-opening analysis of the situation, focusing mostly on the scammers themselves in the form of 4 boys (and one female) scammer. Some were money laundering, some were impersonating celebrities, and other just stole profiles/images and used those. Both sides of the scam were neither vilified nor excused - the author does a good job of maintaining a very detached analysis that goes beyond black-and-white. This included socio-economics, loneliness epidemic, a system that creates the opportunities, and honestly a lot of people lying (both to themselves and others) on both sides of the ocean.

The interviews are very thorough and also include girlfriends, parents, and even a victim in one case. A big picture is created amidst the intimacy of the scams themselves.

Perhaps the most interesting revelation was that the scammers were not part of a sophisticated network or mastermind criminal groups and honestly were a bunch of very young and very foolish boys. Sadly, they weren't living life large on the ill-gotten gains but instead most blew through the money very quickly on drugs, ostentatious displays and profligacy. Getting to know the scammers' stories in no way made what they do/did forgivable but definitely made it easier to understand why it is done and why it is so successful. I also appreciated interesting observation such as a notation that men were far easier to scam and gave money faster but gave up sooner while the women victims took much longer but ultimately gave more in the end.

This is well worth the read, especially since it pointed out at the end where the next focus of scamming would go now that people are wizening up to romance/celebrity/pig butchering/Nigerian Prince scams. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

[Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mannn I have been waiting for a book just like this: what is on the other side of the phone when you are targeted for a scam? Why are so many romance scams centered in Lagos, Nigeria? And what are the stories of the people who make their living stealing from the poor unfortunate souls looking for love on dating sites and instead finding a man on an oil rig who demands endless money transfers?

These are also questions near and dear to the author, Carlos Barragán, whose own mother had fallen victim to a romance scam, sparking a thirst for knowledge that could only be satiated by intimate case studies with the scammers themselves. I was absolutely fascinated by this book, impressed that the author got the scammers to speak so freely, and curious at how he was able to evaluate them with such compassionate empathy after his own mother's victimization at their hands.

Barragán makes an excellent case for the "why," the gross inequities within Nigeria, the extreme poverty and desperation. The income potential, he says, is so much higher for dishonest pursuits like scamming than honest ones like career paths. To be fair that aspect is true anywhere… Isn't stealing and crime always a shortcut to wealth, regardless of background? Perhaps in this case the point is that it is amplified by the country's extreme poverty. In his own estimation, 60-80% of young men in Nigeria are wrapped up in scamming foreigners. I wonder if this means that we would all live dishonest lives if desperate enough.

I have to admit that I struggled with the degree of compassion showed for the scammers here; there seemed to be an innocence on the authors part that these are people who lie for a living; their entire stories could be fabricated. After the numerous instances of scam victims' lives being utterly destroyed; people losing their homes, their loved ones, and even their lives, I have to admit that I have trouble feeling compassion for the source of that destruction. Did Barragan start to believe their justifications? If so, perhaps that was the most successful scam of all.

This book gave me so much to think about... I would absolutely read a part 2 (a sign of a great book). While I am not sure that I agree with everywhere the author went in his conclusions, I have to give it five stars. This is a must read for anyone who wants to see the real face of the impossibly beautiful woman messaging you on Facebook just dying to be your special friend.

Thank you to NetGalley, Carlos Barragán, and Macmillan Audio for sharing an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

[Lauren D'Souza · Rating 3 out of 5]

Carlos Barragan is a Spanish journalist whose mom became trapped in a Nigerian romance scam with someone she believed was Brad Pitt, sending him a surprisingly large amount of money through gift cards when she was going through a sad and lonely time in her life. Carlos went to Lagos to meet these scammers, hoping to understand why they do what they do, who they impact, and how this has become such an industry in Nigeria.

What he ends up finding is both surprising and unsurprising. There is no big industry around this, pretty little sophistication, and no major players. It's (mostly) young men with cell phones and internet plans, a collection of "formats" (scripts they send to targets), and time on their hands to devote to their "work." They waste their money immediately after receiving it on moving into hotels, bottle service at clubs, drugs, girls, brand-name clothing, etc. Finally, they turn to this work because there are so few economic opportunities for them at home, let alone ones that would make them the amount of money being a "Yahoo boy" does. Yahoo boys scam middle-aged Americans and Europeans, feeling little remorse for the money they're losing. They take advantage of the Western loneliness epidemic by giving undivided and constant attention to their victims, forming emotional bonds with vulnerable people, and using heart-rending excuses to get money once their victims have deep attachments to their scammers.

The reporting is done by following a few main "Yahoo boys" (scammers) in their hustles - one who pretends to be WWE wrestler Cody Rhodes to an Irish single mom and scams her out of tens of thousands of dollars over years, one who is from a Muslim family and whose mom wants him to train to be a tailor, but whose mom also can't afford the fees for school or apprenticeships.

The book is framed as normal semi-investigative nonfiction, told relatively detached from the reporter himself but also inserting himself in the story when he talks about being mildly scammed himself by some of the Yahoo boys. In the author's note, he talks about how he didn't want it to be a memoir. But given that this is such a personal topic for him - and that I'm fascinated by how he even got access to these Yahoo boys to begin with - I would have loved for this to be more of a Louis Theroux gonzo journalism style book - I feel I would have connected a lot more to the story if it were told that way.

[Erin Crane · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learned a lot from this book, but I was kind of drowning in details about the yahoo boys' lives. It reminded me of reading The Tragedy of True Crime by John Lennon - it's just hard to keep the stories straight because there are many commonalities.

But a lot of the information in the book was new and fascinating to me, so I appreciate what I was able to glean.

1) We have a tendency to make people who participate in criminal activity into angels or demons when it's mostly something in between. Are the yahoo boys victims of poverty and challenging circumstances in Nigeria? Yes. Are they selfish, immature liars? Often also yes. It's a complex situation where you can feel sympathy and frustration on all sides.
2) It did surprise me how much there is a "yahoo boy" culture which feels like other criminal cultures - lots of ostentatious spending, young boys aspiring to this glamorous life, even being pressured to participate.
3) There's a homoeroticism to it all that is danced around in this country where homosexuality is criminalized. The yahoo boys are often impersonating women (or men) and sexting with men. They are proud of their skills, but don't dig too deep into what that means or things get uncomfortable.
4) These days it's less of a "Nigerian prince" situation and more a deception called "romance scams" where a relationship might need to be built and maintained by the scammer. The victims tend to be over 40, divorced or widowed, and extremely lonely. Loneliness is pretty key to the success of the scam.
5) The author didn't dig too far into it because it's early days, but AI definitely has changed things. It helps yahoo boys improve their craft, but chatbots also can fill the hole that the scammers often seek to fill. The chatbot will do it without demanding money. I feel like only some people are going to want to feel less lonely via chatbot, though. Others are going to prefer chatting with a real person, even if they aren't talking to who they think they are talking to.
6) Yahoo girls exist! They are rarer (perhaps?), but they are also more discreet with their spending. The author only meets one by chance.

Definitely a nonfiction read that brought some new information to light for me, so I appreciate that a lot.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many years ago, I remember reading a quote saying that one of the main benefits of reading, whether it's fiction or nonfiction, is that it fosters empathy in the reader. The more you read, the more empathetic you become. It makes sense. When you read, you place yourself in the experience of the novel's fictional character or the book's real-life subjects, imagining what you would do in their situation or how you might handle their hardships. I thought about that so often while reading this book. I really did feel like I was seeing everything from the point of view of each person the author described; I really felt like I was living their experiences from chapter to chapter.

The beauty of this book is that the author accomplishes this with both the scammers and the victims. I certainly wouldn't say I ever respected or admired the Yahoo Boys, but with the vivid picture that Barragan paints of daily life in Nigeria, I definitely understood why they did it. Beyond that, Barragan conveys the Yahoo Boys' arrogance, guilt, desperation, success, and failure with beautiful clarity.

Conveying the mindset of the victims is a little trickier, since, as the author explains at the end, he couldn't contact the current victims of the Yahoo Boys he was interviewing without inserting himself into and changing the story. Also, he obviously couldn't gain or keep the trust of any Yahoo Boys if he was just going to end their scams. Nonetheless, he is able to talk to one of the victims (saying how would be a spoiler I guess) and it's equally fascinating and illuminating.

About halfway through the book, I googled the author out of curiosity. It turns out that he earned his MFA in nonfiction writing from Columbia University and this is his first book. What an achievement, especially for a self-financed debut. Throughout the book, he also explains his research and methodology in a way that is so interesting without making it about him. To that end, anyone who reads this should be sure to read the Author's Note and Acknowledgements at the end.

As a final note, I hope that some of the professors who taught him at Columbia end up assigning his book in their classes. It would be an invaluable read for any aspiring writer.

[Rochelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first heard the term Yahoo Boys while watching 90 Day Fiancé years ago. Back then, I assumed it referred to networks of African men scamming American women for money or a path to citizenship, an updated version of the Nigerian Prince scams. What I didn’t expect was to learn that many of these “Yahoo Boys” start out as teenagers, some as young as thirteen. They are living in a country strained by inflation, corruption, and limited opportunities. For many, scamming isn’t about greed; it’s about survival; others frame it as a form of reparations for colonization. Sadly, some look at American hip hop culture and want to emulate the lifestyle. It’s an ongoing cycle; they scam, then get scammed by their so-called friends, family, police, and “spiritual” advisors. Some have no remorse at all for the lives they’ve ruined, some feel ashamed, but feel as though it’s their only option.

The author’s personal connection adds weight to the story: his own mother was scammed. That experience pushed him to understand how intelligent, capable people, like his mother, could fall for these schemes, and to learn more about the young men and women behind them. His research took him to Lagos, where he spent months living among the Yahoo Boys, listening to their stories, and interviewing victims as well.

What impressed me most is how well he humanizes both sides. There’s no syndicate here, just individuals who have been failed by their country, their systems, and sometimes their families. Victims, meanwhile, are often dismissed or shamed as “stupid,” when in reality they’re navigating loneliness, vulnerability, and the illusion of connection that technology creates. The book highlights how pervasive isolation has become in the West, and how easily digital intimacy can blur into deception.

I walked away feeling sympathy for both sides at times. It’s a nuanced, eye‑opening look at a global issue we often oversimplify.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ALC in return for my review.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

thank you to the publisher for this audio arc in exchange for my honest review!
3.5 stars

It's safe to say that most of us have heard of the Nigerian Prince scam or something similar. Not only has Carlos Barragan heard of it, his mother was impacted by a similar romance scheme. This then sets him off on a journey to find his mother's scammer, only to find something bigger and more systemic than he could have imagined.

I have a lot of complex feelings about this book. It was well written, and most of it was engaging to me. The look into a life I can't really fathom was wildly fascinating. And yet, I can't help but feel that by the end of the book. Barragan has more sympathy for the scammers he knows than their victims. Maybe it was inevitable with the type of reporting he was doing, but I think there has to be a way to have empathy for the scammers' situations and acknowledge their victims; they're not evil master minds, but it does seem like most of them knew what they were doing was wrong.

The most interesting parts of this book to me were Trisha and Miracle's stories. Both women who overcome in different and difficult circumstances, the fact that their stories were different from the other Yahoo Boys made them shine. I will always support women's wrongs.

I wonder if a book more focused on the loneliness epidemic like Barragan set out to write would have been more impactful. In this current state, the book feels like a zoo exhibit: an interesting look into another life, but something I'll eventually move on from. What can I do to help the systemic issues impacting Nigeria as a white 30-something in the US?

I really enjoyed the narrator - his ability to do accents really added to the book itself and made these people come to life.

I think I'd recommend the book if you're interested in something we don't often get to see, but I also don't think this is the book Barragan thought he wrote.

[Mouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one hell of a debut book! An extremely personal account of an extremely personal crime: the world of Nigerian love scams. Unlike most narratives, Barragán focuses on the perpetrators, not the victims. But as Barragán gets into, ultimately who is who?

Barragán chooses to explore the overlooked lives of failed Nigerian scammers, known as “Yahoo Boys”, after stumbling upon the story after trying (and failing) to find the Nigerian romance scammer who entrapped his mother. These stories are all, inevitably, of boys and men who failed at the scamming business because the successful, flashy Yahoo Boys know to avoid speaking to journalists. Barragán notes unconfirmed accounts of former Yahoo Boys who switched to legitimate industries, whether it be brick-and-mortar local businesses or use their scams to help funding the local music industry, but none were willing to speak on record. There’s one Yahoo Girl mentioned, who Barragán stumbles on entirely by chance, but her account is completely unsubstantiated (but I suspect mostly true).

By focusing on the unsuccessful scammers, we get a fascinating insight into not only the extreme personal involvement in this type of crime, but the conditions in Nigeria that not only drove them to the job, but kept them from succeeding any time they did make any money. Barragán deftly weaves into the narrative the cultural norms, colonial history, political tumult, the pandemic, and global economic factors that have shaped this very moment in time and led to this set of strange conditions in which such a crime is possible. This is by no means a complete account of the matter, but it offers an extremely compelling peek into four lives that outline the world around them.

Amazing work overall! I’ll be keeping Barragán on my radar for any future releases as I know I will be thinking and re-thinking about this book for a while. This has really been the year of fabulous nonfiction for me 💓

[Frank · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Yahoo Boys opened up a world completely new to me. I have never read a book, watched a news story or movie about what life is like for the perpetrators of romance scams. The author went to Lagos, Nigeria seeking answers as to why his mother was scammed. Once there he interviews a large number of the so-called “Yahoo Boys” who eke out a living taking money from lonely people across the world, often Americans.

If anything, we do learn a little about the reasons as to why people, often unemployed teenagers, commit these frauds. I was surprised to learn just how common they are in Nigeria and how, once someone scores even a little bit of money, it is a cause for celebration for others who surround them. While many of the boys go down the path of Yahoo trying to better their lives, they end up throwing much of the money away on a lavish lifestyle for themselves and their friends.

Given the primary focus of the book is getting to know more about the lives of the Yahoo Boys, it was tempting to feel compassion for these guys knowing their everyday desperation. The author does a good job reeling that in by also sprinkling in discussions of the impact of these scams on the victims.

It was odd hearing the victims occasionally referred to as clients. I found it fascinating how some of the victims continued to interact with their scammers even after they figured it out and also how some of the scammers became dependent on the victims for their own self-esteem.

I believe this is a book which will stay with me for quite a while.

Nathan Luwa, the narrator, was perfect. He played a big part in helping transport me into the story. (I especially loved how he pronounced “Yahoo”). I listened at a 1.25 speed.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for providing me the opportunity to read The Yahoo Boys. The above opinions are my own.

[Krista | theliterateporcupine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a Fascinating listen (thanks to Libro.fm for an ALC). It was interesting to see both sides of the con world, and unlike other organized scam centers in Asia, these romance scams are created by anyone who has access to a phone and internet. The author made it a Personal journey to find the person who scammed and seduced his mother, but turned this book into an Eye-opening, essentially BTS look at how these Yahoo Boys (and girls) operate.

Some thoughts that stuck with me after having finished the book:
- Some people believe that Americans owe reparation to Nigeria for slavery and that generational atonement needs to be made, resulting in 0 guilt when scamming elderly people.
- They prey on the loneliness epidemic and can develop feelings for their victims.
- The Yahoo Boys are expected to share their wealth with family, friends, and their village and live a lavish lifestyle - none of their scam money is put into savings or long-term investments.
- Romance scams pay way more than honest work due to Nigeria's current economy and can be started with good intentions (e.g., paying for school, supporting family, basic necessities) but quickly descend into poor choices and drugs (to stay up at odd hours to talk to their victims).
- With the rise of AI, Yahoo Boys point out the irony that friends who are developing romance bots take away business from them and keep the cashflow away from the actual people.

This isn't a read that ends on a positive note as these scams continue and become more advanced. It can be depressing to read at times, but I think it's important to learn its origins, how Americans fall for it, and how the Yahoo Boys in a way become their own victims of their scam.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a special interest in The Yahoo Boys, a nonfiction book about romance scams. My mother was the victim of one and lost thousands. As the book states at one point, white men pay fast, but white women pay long. And she did. The scam continued for years and no amount of talking to her could convince her that “Lonnie” wasn’t real.
Carlos Barragan became interested in the Nigerian romance scam industry after his own mother fell victim. As a journalist, he decided to investigate and ended up spending a year in Lagos. He spent time with four different scammers, young men able to pretend to be either sex and string multiple people along at a time. He does a good job of delving deep into their lives and what propelled them to take up scams as a “job”. He explains the economy of Nigeria, especially the ferocious inflation that makes most jobs too low paying to afford essentials.
Barragan definitely feels a sense of compassion for these young men. And I might have, too, if they were maybe helping their families and not wasting the money on liquor, drugs, hotels and jewelry. Plus, I know first hand the anguish of families dealing with someone giving their money to these criminals. But Barragan also gave the most complete and understandable explanation of why the victims fall for the stories and often hang in even when they have to know in their hearts that they’re being scammed. It’s a testament to the loneliness created by today’s society, which was exasperated by Covid.
Be aware this is a look at just one small component to the romance scam field. Barragan says it’s not an attempt to be an academic study. His efforts were limited due to funding.
I listened to this. Nathan Luwa was just an ok narrator.

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brilliantly written, deeply tragic, endless fascinating investigation. We've all heard of the scams: princes promising riches, lovers hoping to come together, "we'll release your nudes unless you give us $$$." That and more comes (at least in part) from Nigeria. Barragan lifts the hood on the engine to reveal not crime syndicates, but groups of young boys and men trying to one up each other. Nigeria is not a great place to live. All four of the men profiled in this story have sympathetic backstories, struggles with romance, family, and economics, dreams they wish to chase. Then, you remember that the guy you were relating with is scamming people out of their money, then spending it quick, only to fight through long nights of texting and drugs to get another fix of money from their victims. By showing this life, the author paints a picture of exploitation all the way down. Rather than working to improve conditions in either the West or Nigeria, folks keep searching for connection. The victims become dependent on their scammers (sometimes chatting and sending money even after learning the truth) and the scammers become dependent on their victims for both payout and purpose. If you have any interest in how these scams happen, and why, from someone on the ground, I highly recommend this book.

[Thanks to Libro.fm and Macmillan Audio for the free, advanced listener copy. The review is my own.]

[Kuu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ALC.

This was super interesting. There's quite some talk about these love scammers, but so far, any discussions I saw focused on the victims' perspective and did not bother to find out about the motives of the perpetrators, assuming simply greed. This book approaches the topic with more nuance, actually speaking to Yahoo boys and hearing their stories, how they came to be Yahoo boys, and, very importantly, positioning them in post-colonial Nigeria with all its issues, as this is a very important factor when approaching the topic. It's very easy to judge from the West, but hearing some of these stories, I really could understand why these young men came to be Yahoo boys and why they choose not to stop, and I could even kind of understand their views on why it was justified, considering Nigeria's history of colonisation and corruption. I cannot say that I WOULDN'T want to "get my share" through scamming rich Westerners if I had grown up in that context.

This book does a great job at humanising these Yahoo boys, while staying informative and providing varied perspectives. It was really refreshing to see the nuance with which the author tackled the issue, and I would definitely recommend this book. The narration was also great, and I feel like maybe having this as an audiobook added even more emotional impact.

[The Reading Raccoon · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Yahoo Boys: Real Life with the Love Scammers of Lagos is a non-fiction book about a group of young men who operate as “love scammers” out of Nigeria.

Years after investigative journalist Carlos Barragán’s mother fell for a love scammer pretending to be an American soldier, he decided that would be his next story. Despite multiple trips to Lagos, he never did find “Brian,” his mother’s scammer, but he did find several young men that also operate as “Yahoo Boys”. The book follows the lives of several Yahoo Boys as they continually chase their next payday.

From this book I learned a lot about love scams and the people that operate them. I found it fascinating that most of them are not part of a criminal enterprise but are mostly young men living in poverty and self-taught. They learn how to reel in their victims on the job, and they strike out many times but just keep going. I also found it interesting that some of their victims may suspect or are even aware that they are being scammed but sometimes keep up the ruse because of the attention they receive.

I thought this was a well-written and researched book and that Carlos Barragán covered every aspect of the crime but also the humanity of the perpetrators. I look forward to seeing what he writes next.

Rating: 4.25 stars

Narration Notes: The Yahoo Boys was read by Nathan Luwa, who was the perfect voice for the young men in the book.

Disclosure: This review is based on an advanced listening copy provided by Macmillan Audio. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Mal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced audiobook.

When Carlos Barragan's mother becomes the victim of a romance scam, he heads to Lagos, Nigeria to learn more about the men (and sometimes women) who are behind these scams: the Yahoo boys. Tracking four different men, Barragan reveals the dark underbelly of Nigeria's poverty epidemic and the loneliness epidemic in the west that makes so many people ripe for victimization.

This was an eye-opening book, especially in learning who the real Yahoo Boys are (not part of a criminal syndicate, but often boys and men who have struggled to find real work in their cities). Barragan manages to create empathy for the Yahoo Boys, even as you cringe away from the things they're doing. The one thing that kept me from being able to fully engage with the book was the audiobook narrator. The person was fine, but knowing that the author is a Spaniard, hearing a Nigerian accented person reading the book (including parts about how strange it was for Barragan to walk the streets of Lagos as a white presenting man). It would've been nice if the author had at least narrated the afterword.

The Yahoo Boys is out June 9, 2026

[Kirsten Krechel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent reporting into what causes someone to scam and to be scammed. The most interesting parts to me were the search for one of the scammer's victims and the exploration into the role the Western loneliness epidemic plays in people becoming vulnerable to romance scams online. It was also interesting to include his encounter with a Yahoo Girl toward the end of the book after we'd gotten to know a few Yahoo Boys; waiting until then to show the contrasts in their backgrounds and thought processes was very effective. I think Barragán was thorough and fair in his assessments of the scammers he interviewed and the situations they found themselves in, while never condoning any of their choices.

I always like reading Author's Notes, especially for narrative nonfiction where the author has more opportunities to be hands-on with their subjects, and particularly with this subject I appreciated Barragán talking about where he pressed or intervened vs where he chose to remain as unbiased a reporter as possible (something I think he was open about throughout the book).

[LuckyPalm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Investigative journalist Carlos Barragán tells the stories of four Nigerian scammers who represent a majority population in Lagos. These people are fighting against corruption daily with a scarcity of jobs that do cover the costs of basic human needs.

The so-called Yahoo Boys named because of their simple business model of using yahoo email addresses to secure “clients” via their mobile phones.

The “clients” are generally lonely people that are lacking human connection with someone that is genuinely interested in them.

The most interesting aspect is that the Love Scammers are mainly young men or teenage boys that seem to have an innate sense of how to attract and keep their victims on the hook. No bots, they work on manipulating human vulnerability. The Yahoo Boys have no remorse for bankrupting their clients, causing harm and even death by suicide. They simply move on to their next mark.

The victims could be anyone you know. It’s an emotionally driven process that provides comfort and connection to a vulnerable individual.

[ebbl · Rating 5 out of 5]

"But what you've got to remember is what you're looking at is also you." –James Baldwin
This title is tagged true crime, but it feels much more like narrative journalism. Barragán shares vignettes of young Lagosians who work on their phones, getting paid through complex networks of gift cards and cryptocurrency. I found it moving and thought provoking: flex culture among poor young adults, internet English as a global (neocolonial) language, the glorification of entrepreneurship, prosperity gospel. Ultimately, I think about who we are versus who we show to the world (both in our daily interactions and online). The flexer who's still hungry, the hype man drinking water from an expensive bottle, the "Go for it!" woman who sits trapped by her husband, the Yahoo boy surrounded by friends at the club who feels most seen by the person he's scamming.

[Tara Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Macmillan audio for the gifted ALC!

This was a wild ride, if you love TLC 90 Day Fiancé you’ll love this.

Carlos decides to dive into the world of Yahoo Boys and figure out how they can manipulate and get money from people all over the world after his own mother falls victim to a scammer pretending to be someone else.

He follows a variety of stories, those trying to make money quick and some trying to make money to invest into bigger things. All of them have a playbook they use and it’s almost a scripted game for them. They often push and push while playing with the victims emotions and misfortunes while they’re vulnerable.

If they stop getting what they want, money, they’ll move on and find someone else.

The “politics” and crime in Nigeria was interesting to read about along with the real life stories and just how detached these individuals are from the “work”.

[Vanessa]

I had gone looking for a con so intricate it might justify [my mother] falling for it. But what I found was far simpler--and far more uncomfortable.

Fantastic and so important. Barragan, in his author's note, is absolutely correct--by humanizing the scammers, he's also humanized the scammed (and the scam itself?), turning our preconceptions of "hopeless, stupid victim vs a mustache-twirling fraud conglomerate" into something much more heartbreaking and honest.

It's fascinating, it's sad, it's full of lively colour as Barragan explores the streets of Ikotun and Lagos at large. It's not clear-cut, and I came out of this not feeling totally sympathetic to the scammers anyways, but suuuch an interesting journey.

[Becca · Rating 4 out of 5]

WOW this took me for a ride! This is one of my favorite kinds of journalistic investigation tales-- the author gets the story directly from the sources, taking us into places we'd never normally go. The clarity with which we are able to see what life is like for the Yahoo Boys is really remarkable, and deeply deeply sad. My one issue here is that for all the author's efforts to show us the truth of the Yahoo Boys, we didn't get to see quite as much from the perspective of those who they scammed. The glimpses we saw of that side of the story were so incredibly depressing, I wished we could hear a little more about those impacts. His mother, in fact, would be an interesting person to interview for this part! Very much recommended though, if you love a deep dive.

[Jess Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the advanced reader copy of this narrative non-fiction work. The narrator does a good job overall since most of the pov's are Nigerian boys, but when he is voicing a character with a Kentucky accent it isn't great.

The author is an investigative journalist and has done excellent research in interviewing the boys behind these scams and even some of their victims. I found the book very informative and entertaining.

The structure of the book did make some parts confusing. The stories of these yahoo boys are very similar, making it hard to distinguish whose story I was listening to at times. The similarities between the pov's resulted in parts of the book feeling repetitive, but overall I enjoyed it.

3.5 ⭐️