14 arrested over fake bus ticket websites targeting Nakuru travellers

14 suspects arrested, 25 mobile phones, 16 SIM card plates, and 10 SIM cards seized by DCI in Nakuru. [DCI]

Fourteen people have been arrested in Nakuru over an alleged online scam targeting travellers seeking to buy bus tickets.

Detectives from the Banking Fraud Investigations Unit (BFIU) and officers from Nakuru Police Station arrested the suspects during a raid in the Pangani area, where they allegedly operated an online scam.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said detectives recovered 25 mobile phones, 16 SIM card plates and 10 SIM cards during the operation.

Investigators found that the suspects had created fake websites to lure travellers into paying for bus tickets that they allegedly never received.

“Investigations revealed that the suspects had created fake websites, including Zain Coach, Harmain Coach and Habesh Coach, which they use to scam unsuspecting travellers into a trap,” the DCI said in a statement on Wednesday.

The agency said the suspects used the websites to exploit travellers looking for convenient ways to purchase bus tickets online.

“With the allure of easy online bus ticket purchases, many were left devastated, their hard-earned cash disappearing without a trace,” the DCI added.

The 14 suspects remain in custody as police process them for arraignment.

Detectives have secured the seized mobile phones and SIM cards as exhibits as they continue investigating the alleged cybercrime network.