This archive report was first published on 6 January 2020.
Safaricom Conmen: Fraudsters Now Using Official Number ¶
Kenyan citizens are being warned to be cautious of a new scam where fraudsters are using Safaricom's official number to call their victims.
According to social media users, the scammers, known as 'Safaricom Conmen' or 'Kamiti Conmen', are now using the official number 0722000000 to call unsuspecting citizens.
One social media user, Dan Riro, tweeted on January 6, 2020, 'Conmen are now calling using Safaricom's official number. The game done changed.'
Another user, Eric Gichuru, tweeted on October 13, 2019, 'How comes fraudsters are using 0722000000 to con people. My friend has just been conned and the guys were calling via this number. HOW?'
It's still unclear how the fraudsters manage to pull off this scam, and the poor responses by Safaricom to customer inquiries have only made the situation more puzzling.
Some have blamed the scam on Caller ID spoofing, while tech experts insist that it requires more than just basic knowledge in global mobile communications.
One user, Slimshady, tweeted on January 6, 2020, 'Call spoofing that is https://t.co/zdbRvfLFEq.'
Another user, Ichangai, tweeted on January 6, 2020, 'NEVER EVER TRUST THE CALLER ID. It's very easy to spoof the number or the name using voice over internet.'
It's essential for citizens to be aware of this new scam and take necessary precautions to protect themselves.
