Suspected conmen met their downfall after they set themselves up in an attempt to swindle a mobile money agent.
The two, who were accused of luring unsuspecting victims into their web of deceit, were apprehended by policemen in Eldoret town on Friday, June 28, after their plan backfired.
Baringo Police Commandant Julius Kiragu stated that the duo approached a mobile money agent to provide them with funds to supply food to one of the schools, claiming to have been sent by the trader's employer.
The unsuspecting victim was convinced to give the duo his work phone to call the mobile money shop owner to confirm the same.
One suspect kept the agent busy as the other called their female accomplice and altered the details of the phone.
They also received a text message allegedly from the mobile money owner instructing the employee to release the funds. The message was seemingly edited to capture the number of the employer.
In this instance, their scheme took an unexpected turn as the victim sensed something was off. The suspects failed to edit out their number, and it was visible that the message was not sent by the mobile money shop owner.
“The conmen requested the phone again and tried to edit the number but in this case fumbled. They did not manage to change the name. When the attendant went to send the money, he saw the name was different from the number and called the police on them,” the police commander stated.
Normally, mobile money agents are cautioned against giving out their work phones, and it was unclear how the trader was convinced to break the guideline.
Police disclosed that they had trailed the duo for three days after they wreaked havoc in Baringo and Uasin Gishu counties.
Baringo Police Commandant, Julius Kiragu, added that the two suspects had defrauded mobile money agents in Kabarnet and Elgeyo-Marakwet towns.
In a past case, they were accused of posing as IT experts while approaching a trader in the pretence of installing CCTV cameras on his premises. The shop attendant, who was alarmed by their request, stepped aside to contact the owner of the shop.
The two suspected conmen then requested the attendant to let them have a conversation with the shop owner instead. At this point, they added their own contact and edited it in place of the shop owner.
They then staged a conversation with the owner but ended up speaking to their accomplice, who sent a message requesting the employee to pay them Ksh 18,000.
The mobile money agent complied and released the fund after reading the message he believed was sent by his employer. Kiragu added that the police launched a manhunt for the woman accused as an alibi in the case, which is under investigation.
“We traced the lady to a hotel where she had been hiding, but unfortunately, she escaped," the Baringo police boss disclosed.
He added that they had received complaints from residents about the duo and called upon members of the public to be more vigilant, especially while conducting mobile money transactions online.
The duo was detained at Kabarnet Police Station pending their arraignment on Monday, July 31.
