Kenyans have been warned against falling prey to an Inua Jamii scam circulating on social media, particularly via WhatsApp.
In a statement released by the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection on Monday, July 28, the government exposed the scheme, known as the Inua Jamii Foundation Empowerment, and urged Kenyans to remain alert to the scam.
According to the Ministry, the foundation, which promises fake financial support, is not sanctioned by the government and does not exist within the State.
“The Ministry of Labour and Social Protection wishes to alert the public about a fraudulent scheme currently circulating on social media, particularly WhatsApp, falsely operating under the name Inua Jamii Foundation Empowerment,” the Ministry stated.
While warning Kenyans about the con, the Ministry urged the public to use official channels of communication when making enquiries about Inua Jamii, in order to avoid falling victim to the scam.
“This scam, which promises fake financial support, is not sanctioned by the Government. All official communication regarding Inua Jamii cash transfer programmes is disseminated exclusively through verified channels of the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection and the State Department for Social Protection and Senior Citizen Affairs,” the Ministry warned.
To that effect, the government urged Kenyans to ignore any messages or links shared via WhatsApp or other platforms purporting to offer Inua Jamii Foundation Empowerment funds.
The Inua Jamii Cash Transfer Programme is an initiative that aims to ensure financial relief for 1,759,656 beneficiaries across the country.
Every month, the Labour Ministry distributes billions of shillings to a select group of Kenyans, often the most vulnerable Kenyans in the country.
Beneficiaries of the funds include older persons, orphans, vulnerable children, and individuals living with severe disabilities. Each beneficiary typically receives Ksh2,000 each month.
A beneficiary of the programme can access the funds through the E-citizen platform or by dialling *222#. After this, one can withdraw the funds from an M-PESA agent or transfer them to their M-PESA wallets.
Despite the alarm raised by the Ministry, it still maintained that investigations were currently underway in collaboration with law enforcement and cybersecurity agencies to identify and prosecute those responsible.
