Violent crime
Violent crime is common in residential centres and on rural highways. Armed highwaymen operate across the country.
Armed bandits are common in the border areas with the CAR.
Carjackings, muggings, robberies and petty theft occur in:
- Yaoundé, the capital
- Douala
- Kribi
- Maroua
In Yaoundé, the suburbs of la Briquetterie, Mokolo and Mvog-Ada are very dangerous.
Road-based crime
Criminals target roads close to the borders with Nigeria, the CAR and Chad.
Carjackings and armed robberies also occur on:
- Bamenda to Banyo road
- Bafoussam to Banyo road
- Bafoussam to Doula road
- Bafoussam to Yaoude road
Petty crime
Thieves are active on trains, coaches, bush taxis and around bus stations. Always take care of your belongings when using public transport.
Personal security
Foreigners have reported several incidents of robbery and rape in Douala.
Gangs of armed gunmen have attacked restaurants and hotels that cater to foreigners.
To reduce your risk of crime:
- avoid travel after dark, especially outside city limits
- always pay attention to your personal security
- when travelling by car, keep doors locked, windows up and valuables out of sight
If you become a victim of violent crime, including rape, seek medical help straight away. The HIV/AIDS infection rate in Cameroon is high. See Health.
Scams and fraud
Commercial and internet fraud often originates in West African countries, such as Cameroon.
Online scammers defraud victims. Victims who have travelled to the originating country have put their lives in danger. Some victims have been killed.
Criminals often seek details of ‘safe’ bank accounts overseas, such as yours. They claim they will transfer large sums of money into the account. Victims believe they will get a donation or a percentage of the amount involved.
Be aware of other scams where criminals:
- give fake cheques for ‘urgent’ shipments of goods
- ask for large fees for fake government contracts
- extort money from people the scammers convince to travel to Africa for a business opportunity
To protect yourself against a scam, be wary of:
- any request to send money to a person in Cameroon
- any invitation to Cameroon to meet someone you have met over the internet
Don’t travel to Cameroon to try to get your money back.
If you’re a victim of a financial scam, get legal advice.
Bogus dating schemes
Criminals in West Africa operate fake online friendship, dating and marriage schemes.
Scammers use these schemes to defraud and threaten the lives of Australians. They do this by targeting Australians and other foreigners on internet dating sites or chat rooms. They may pose as a prospective friend or spouse.
Once a friendship develops, the scammer asks for money to allow them to travel to Australia. In some cases, the scammer ends the relationship once the money has been sent. There’s little chance of getting the money back.
In other cases, foreigners are lured to Africa to meet their prospective friend or marriage partner.
Once in Africa, they may become the victim of:
- kidnapping
- assault
- robbery
- extortion
More information: