The National Police Service (NPS) has issued a warning to the public following a surge in fake social media accounts impersonating the service.
In an alert issued on Tuesday December 2, the police specifically highlighted fraudulent profiles and pages circulating online that claim to represent the NPS.
According to the NPS, these fake accounts are intended to defraud, misinform and manipulate unsuspecting Kenyans. The public has been urged to exercise caution when interacting with profiles claiming to be affiliated with the police.
"It has come to our attention that numerous fake or pseudo social media accounts are purporting to represent the National Police Service (NPS). These fraudulent accounts are designed to mislead, defraud, or misinform the public," a statement from the NPS said.
"We urge the public to exercise extreme caution and not to interact with these accounts. Please do not reply, follow, share information, or send any money or personal details."
As a clarification, the NPS revealed it only operates three verified social media accounts on Facebook, X and TikTok. All these accounts carry the official blue verification badge.
Users of online platforms have been urged to confirm that they are engaging with the correct profiles before responding to messages or acting on information received.
Furthermore, the NPS has urged the public to treat communication or solicitation from unverified accounts with suspicion, as some fraudulent accounts mimic official branding and can appear very convincing.
Members of the public can report fake accounts directly to the social media platforms where they appear. In addition, reports can be made to the NPS using the toll-free hotlines 999, 911, or 112.
One of the biggest pages posing a challenge to the NPS is one that has been set up on Facebook, which boasts over 400,000 followers.
A quick spot check by Kenyans.co.ke established that the page brands itself as a police media page and shares updates on matters including police recruitment, without any verification.
The warning comes at a time when the NPS has been prompted to issue constant updates on security matters, particularly in the wake of the hotly contested by-elections in several parts of the country.
