Kenyans were angered on Saturday, June 17, when a lady shared her plight online after losing Ksh145,213 to a sim-swap gang domiciled in Bomet County.
According to the lady, her phone's network failed for a while before she realised something was off.
After trying to restart the phone, she contacted customer care providers of the telecommunications company who informed her to visit their offices for further assistance.
She was shocked to learn that her sim card had been replaced and the suspects had withdrawn Ksh145,000 leaving Ksh58,525 in the account.
According to the statements she shared between 9:57:08 am and 9:57:41 am, the suspects had withdrawn the cash as well as taken several loans with her details.
After reporting the incident at the Nyali Police Station, she was informed that it was a suspected case linked to the notorious sim-swap syndicate in Mulot, Bomet County.
"The loan lenders are on my neck and some of the loans are accruing interest. Some of the cash was for different chamas. I have tried following up but nothing," she complained.
Her complaint caused an uproar among Kenyans who questioned what the government and service providers were doing to help the lady recover her money.
Others raised suspicions that the matter was done with the help of an insider. Some are questioning how a stranger can replace a sim card without the owner being notified.
"I have had a similar case but how can one replace a sim card without an ID?" one questioned.
On December 30, 2022, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) arrested the leader of the gang who had been on the run.
"The jailbird, who has been on the run for the past few days, has been arrested by officers on bank duties after members of the public spotted him in the town and went after him," DCI reported at the time.
He was, however, released on a Ksh300,000 bail on January 6, 2023.
