High alert as police bust electronics fraud ring

A section of Luthuli Avenue, Nairobi.[Edward Kiplimo, Standard]

Last December, Agnes Lesiit, a resident of Mwiki made a stopover at Luthuli Avenue in Nairobi to buy a smart television set.

After making inquiries in several shops, she found a dealer who promised to sell her a 43-inch Samsung set for Sh29,000.

Elated, she accepted the deal but when she tried to pay via a till number, the dealer told her to withdraw the cash in the nearby shop.

Minutes later, Lesiit was back and handed over the cash. The dealer beckoned two other colleagues behind the store who joined him at the counter.

All along, Lesiit thought that the two were being instructed to hand her the television set but they told her that she will be required to add another Sh6,000 to get the tv.

This led into a confrontation between her and the dealers for about half an hour. Luckily, officers from Kamukunji Police Station who were on evening patrol noticed a commotion and responded, saving Lesiit from the jaws of cons. 

She was refunded her cash. Lesiit’s case is not an isolated one. Con artists have given Luthuli Avenue a bad name. 

Central Police boss David Mburukua told The Standard the cases are not as many as before after the formation of a special team to monitor activities along the notorious street. 

“Cases of electronics fraud have reduced because we have now have a team on the ground working around the clock,” said the police commander. He urged victims to make formal complaints with police so that appropriate measures can be taken. On January 25, officers from Kamukunji rescued a victim who was about to be conned by unscrupulous electronics dealers.

“The victim had paid for his new TV set but opted out of the transaction when the fraudster doubled the price immediately payment for the item was made,” the National Police Service said on its Facebook platform

At the time, the victim had given up on getting back his money until when the officers arrived. “We have observed consistent presence of mobile and static police teams along the notorious streets. We urge the public to exercise caution especially when the deal is too good,” the post added. Police said dealers lure customers with enticing offers and once the agreed price is paid, they set new conditions that soar the cost.

“While we acknowledge the many genuine traders who earn an honest living on a willing-buyer-willing-seller basis, there is a crop of rogue dealers who use fraudulent schemes to fleece innocent Kenyans of their hard-earned cash,” said NPS.