Gang defrauding Kenyans using branded vehicles arrested

Police have arrested a gang of fraudsters posing as Safaricom and StarTimes employees operating in Nairobi.

According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the four fraudsters use a range of merchandise, including electronic goods and laptops they purport to be promoting or selling, to lure their victims.

Investigations are ongoing to establish if there are government officials involved.

Police say the gang parks their vehicles within notable busy spots in the city, especially at Tea Room, along Mfangano Street next to Sizzling Hotel and around Globe Cinema round-about.

Members of the public that have supposedly used Safaricom lines for more than two years and StarTimes customers are then lured to be rewarded with new phones and other electronic items.

Those who fall prey to the trap are then requested to register by sending some money through M-Pesa and in the process the gang members master the victim’s PIN.

Afterwards, the gang members transfer their money in pretence of activating their accounts.

In other cases, victims are asked to hand over their identity cards for registration and in the process they note their year of birth.

Detectives have said most Kenyans use this as their PIN and they use this to wire money from the victims' accounts.

The DCI has identified the members of the gang.

Another member of the gang whose vehicle is used to display the items purpoted to be on sale has been identified.

The syndicate driver has been identified as the spy who monitors and alerts the gang of police presence.

The DCI said a number of victims who lost money to the fraudsters have recorded statements with the police. Some of the victims include Anthony Njihia (Sh54,000) and John Okoth Odondi (Sh54,600).

Head of DCI George Kinoti said they are looking for more suspects in the syndicate.

“They use branded cars to lure unsuspecting Kenyans who are robbed of their hard earned cash,” he said.