Police in Molo are holding six suspects accused of operating a large mobile money fraud network that has allegedly swindled unsuspecting Kenyans out of thousands of shillings.
The suspects were arrested on Wednesday after officers discovered a trove of 2,464 national ID cards and more than 3,000 SIM cards believed to have been used in the scam.
Investigators say the cards were being used to register multiple mobile lines, which were then used to con victims through fake money transfer messages and other digital fraud tricks.
Confirming the arrests, Molo Deputy County Commissioner Josphat Olechuta explained that the detectives are still investigating on how the syndicate operated and who else might be involved.
“The suspects are being interrogated as we follow leads that could lead to more arrests,” Olechuta said, adding that the recovered IDs and SIM cards would be used as key evidence in the ongoing probe.
He urged members of the public to be more vigilant with their personal information, warning that many fraudsters rely on stolen or surrendered ID numbers to commit crimes.
“Do not hand over your ID or personal details to strangers,” he cautioned. “That information can easily be misused to steal money or implicate you in criminal activities.”
Police believe the arrests could help dismantle a wider network of digital fraudsters preying on Kenyans through mobile money platforms a crime that has become increasingly common in recent years.
Investigations are ongoing as officers work to trace the origins of the recovered IDs and identify more victims who may have been targeted and affected by the syndicate.
