NAIROBI, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan police said on Saturday that they are interrogating 19 Nigerians who were arrested in Nairobi for engaging in electronic fraud targeting Kenyans.
The detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) rounded up the suspects in Nairobi's three residential estates. The suspects are expected to appear in court next week.
Director of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti said the suspects target Kenyans especially through the social media before they embark on lying to them.
According to the police, the Nigerians arrested on Friday night promise to send their victims 'goodies' at the airport through DHL courier company.
"The fraudsters start by befriending you on social media (Facebook) and once you accept the friend request they initiate a friendly chat that promises the victim goodies to be sent through DHL at the airport," Kinoti said.
According to Kinoti, a call will be made the following day by someone pretending to be a DHL employee. The person then asks the victim to pay clearance fees for the same parcel they claim to have sent you.
As soon as the victim sends the money through Mpesa, another call is made requesting for some more money for other documentation and taxes.
"After paying the dues demanded, your calls demanding for your parcel will not be picked. That is the time you realize that you have been conned," Kinoti said.
The DCI director cautioned Kenyans against such fraudsters even though they did not reveal how much has been lost in the scam so far.
The fraudsters are currently in police custody and are expected to appear in court to be charged with electronic fraud.
The swoop followed a barrage of complaints filed with police over the incidents. One victim told police he had been promised an iPhone and paid 700 U.S. dollars for the gadget.
During the swoop, several electronic gadgets were recovered from the suspects' houses. Some of them had come to Nairobi as students and as businessmen.
