19 Nigerians arrested for defrauding Kenyans on social media

Nineteen Nigerian nationals residing in Nairobi were Saturday arrested in a police swoop for involvement in electronic fraud.

The suspects were arrested in Umoja, Kasarani and Roysambu Estates within Nairobi for engaging in electronic fraud targeting Kenyans.

Director of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti said the suspects target Kenyans especially through the social media before they embark on lying to them.

“The fraudsters start by befriending you on social media (Facebook) and once you accept the friend request they initiate a friendly chat that promises the victim goodies to be sent through DHL at the airport,” he said.

According to Kinoti, the following day a call will be made and someone will pretend to be an attendant at the DHL office.

They will tell the victim to pay clearance fees for the same parcel they claim to have sent to a person.

“Immediately you send the money through Mpesa another call is made requesting for some more money for other documentation and taxes.”

”After paying the dues demanded, your calls demanding for your parcel will not be picked. That is the time you realize that you have been conned. This is therefore to warn members of the general public against such fraudsters,” he said.

The swoop followed a barrage of complaints filed with police over the incidents. One victim told police he had been promised an Iphone and paid Sh70,000 for the gadget.

During the swoop, several electronic gadgets were recovered from the suspects’ houses. Some of the suspects had come to Nairobi as students and as businessmen.

The incident come at a time when police are battling with a Cameroonian national in court who was deported last year but sneaked back to Kenya. On arriving in Kenya Doctta Peter Longa threw away his traveling documents as part of efforts to frustrate his re-deportation.

He was arrested in Parklands after defrauding a businessman of Sh20 million on claims he would double the money.

Cases of foreigners finding a safe haven in Nairobi for criminal activities are on the rise amid police crackdown.