Globalization and Crime: "Feymen" in Cameroon

Abstract: One of the challenges faced by most countries in Africa today is “high crime wave”, in Cameroon, one of the forms of criminality is known as “feymania” “feymen” practice “feymania” a name commonly known to all Cameroonians, which refers to criminal economic practice. These “feymen” mostly deal with the sales of non-existing goods, money laundry, and the offering of non-existing contracts and documentations. Their whole form of economic activities is characterised by “deceit”. The study seeks to provide in-depth knowledge on the phenomenon, how globalization has helped to facilitate this crime “feymania” across national and international borders. This resulted to the success of these “feymen” who now become rich and famous by their criminal economic practices. This study was carried out for a period of one month, from the 1st to the 30th of April 2011; both secondary and primary sources were used for data collection. The primary sources data were done with the help of in-depth interview with the use of interview guide. Respondents were contacted through the help of a snowball technique; and they were of three groups: the “feymen”, cybercafé owners and security officials. Findings show that globalisation has really facilitated the networks of these criminal entrepreneurs “feymen” across national and international borders. And this enabled them to get in contact with victims who paid them huge amount of money. Without having to come into physical contact with them most of the time. Results also show that half of the population of “feymen” have travelled abroad to meet their business partners as they claim to be.