This archive report was first published on 30 November 2019.
November 30, 2019, will be etched in the memory of Meshack Among'a, a 30-year-old businessman, as the day he fell victim to a clever con artist in Nairobi.
Meshack had just left church when a man in a cheap suit approached him, speaking in heavily accented English. The man claimed to have won Sh2 million on the Kenya Charity Sweepstake but needed help finding the offices to redeem his ticket.
Meshack, who knew the building on Moi Avenue, agreed to accompany the man to the offices. However, once they arrived, the con artist asked Meshack to hand over a valuable item to ensure he wouldn't run off with the winning ticket. Meshack gave him his wallet containing Sh5,000 and his phone, and the man disappeared.
When Meshack reached the supposed offices, he found a group of stall owners who informed him that the man was part of a group of Meru men swindling people in the area.
Meshack's experience serves as a reminder of the dangers of trusting strangers and the importance of being cautious in unfamiliar situations.
