Three men were on Sunday arrested by the police for obtaining money from unsuspecting members of the public, by operating fake online social media platforms purporting to sell goods.
Dickson Magembe, Dionicious Omonyi and Derrick Kodek were arrested by detectives from the elite Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau, following numerous complaints received from the public via the DCI Facebook and Twitter platforms.
The duo have been operating fake Facebook and Twitter accounts ‘Jumia Shopping’ that ran a promotion over Christmas and new year with a discount of 40% of household items.
The three are believed to have swindled several unsuspecting Kenyans millions of shillings who did payments to a fake Till Number provided by the gang, those who had done payments through the till number would receive an invoice via Whatsapp and were promised for a delivery of the items free within 24 hours. After payments that would make the end of the communication between the unsuspecting ‘customer’ and the gang as they will be blocked subsequently leaving them with huge losses.
A recent case of a victim happened to a man from Mukothima, Tharaka North subcounty who was conned 95,000Ksh after paying for a 7-seater recliner seat and a coffee table.
Police arrested one of the suspects at Canaan area in Kisii County, a third year student pursuing Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in possession of 22 sim cards which they have been using to swindle Kenyans.
The suspect later led detectives to his two other accomplices in Ruiru, Kiambu county. The mastermind of the fraud identified as Swarzzenegar Otete, an Information Technology wizard is currently on the run with sleuths working across the clock to have him charged with fraud.
