The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has issued a warning to Kenyans after a fake X (formerly Twitter) account emerged online impersonating the authority’s official customer care handle.
In a statement shared on its verified corporate account on Saturday, KRA cautioned users against interacting with the fraudulent page named “KRA Care” which was designed to mislead unsuspecting taxpayers.
“SCAM ALERT! Don’t be their ‘Esteemed Taxpayer,’ please! Our real account, KRA Care, took an unplanned vacation with the hackers,” the statement read in part.
“Stay alert and do not share your personal information with impostors. Report and block any suspicious accounts.”
The fake account had copied KRA’s identity so convincingly linking the official website, tagging KRA’s corporate page, and even displaying the genuine KRA Care phone number in an attempt to lure social media users.
However, it remained unverified and had fewer than 100 followers a red flag that helped expose it as fraudulent.
The warning comes barely a day after KRA’s official customer care X account was hacked on October 31.
The hackers reportedly took control of the page and changed its handle to “StandsX.”
At the time, the taxman urged Kenyans not to engage with the compromised account and to seek assistance through its Facebook page or verified communication channels.
“The official KRA Care X account has been hacked and its handle changed to ‘StandsX’.
Members of the public are strongly warned not to engage, share personal information, or send money to any messages or posts from this account, as they are fraudulent,” KRA stated then.
KRA confirmed that it was working closely with X administrators to recover the hacked account, which has since been restored.
The verified @KRACare handle is now back online and appears to be operating normally, with no further suspicious activity detected.
The authority urged Kenyans to remain vigilant against cyber fraudsters posing as official institutions online, reminding users to verify accounts before engaging or sharing any personal information.
