Kenya Power exposed a fraud scheme targeting unsuspecting consumers buying tokens using their phones.
Through an alert dated Friday, January 6, the utility firm stated that the scheme was masterminded by individuals who pose as the company's officials.
Individuals running the scheme send text messages and sometimes call electricity users, asking them to send money to private numbers to receive affordable tokens.
According to the public liability firm, which transmits, distributes and retails electricity, fraudsters further threatened individuals with disconnecting their power supply for noncompliance.
"For instance, disguised as officials from our Company, they send you text messages with offers of cheap tokens, or make telephone calls with demands to disconnect your supply for non-payment, then they ask the victims to send them money through a private mobile money number," KPLC's statement read in part.
To avoid falling victim to the syndicate, KPLC advised Kenyans to buy tokens from approved pay bill numbers.
"To avoid potential loss through fraud, only buy your tokens or settle your power bills through Paybill numbers 888880 and 888888 for pre-paid and post-paid services respectively, or other authorised channels," Kenya Power insisted.
In August 2022, the utility firm intervened to end billing fraud by blocking third-party vendors from selling pre-paid tokens to its customers.
Blocking third-party vendors was also attributed to delays experienced, raising customer concerns. KPLC listed 13 bank accounts allowed to sell tokens to its customers.
Moreover, the move aimed to streamline KPLC revenue channels and reduce losses at the utility firm.
"We wish to inform our prepaid and postpaid customers that effective September 1, purchase of prepaid tokens and payment of postpaid bills will only be made through the following authorised channels," KPLC announced in a notice.
Other roadside vendors were blocked when several Kenya Power employees were apprehended over fraud charges.
The top leadership at the company was also reshuffled during the purge at the utility firm.
