Following the release of my first blog, I fell victim to a scam that cost me Ksh. 27000 in total—possibly, even more, considering additional transaction fees and the money they add and request you transfer. I’ll provide screenshots from Mpesa, links, and Telegram pages showing how everything happened. I’m taking this action to make sure that, especially in these trying economic times, more individuals do not become victims of scams. I’ll walk you through each stage of how these lies will gain your trust so they can ensure that, with a little help from you and your mistrust, you give them everything you have without ever realizing it.
It’s crucial to understand that they always stay one step ahead of you and your game. It’s crucial to understand that since they frequently alter their techniques, multiple con games may be going on at once.
It all began on Friday night at around ten o’clock. A message arrived on my phone from a new number. I’m not sure how they obtained my number, but I got a text asking if I wanted to start an internet business. It said that I needed to register first, but that once I did, I would get 150 bobs. They requested that I add a Telegram number to my account called Lucy (I will clarify why I believe this to be a fictitious name later). I reasoned that I truly had nothing to lose, so I added the number and registered. I join another group that the Telegram number points me toward. Following all of this, I get the promised 150 Bob, and I’m asked to log in at 12:00 noon the next day, as that is when work starts and also it is when the system begins to operate.
Here is an image of them explaining to me what I should do to but despite me telling them I really do not understand the work they do not bother explaining. The above number is a fake number and despite me reaching out to the number, it was out of service.
Knowing that registering my name would get me an additional 100 Bobs on top of yesterday’s 150 Bobs made me very happy. They knew they had my interest when they sent the money and let me sleep on it. I sent in my sign the following day at noon, and I was given Ksh 100. Since no one else is allowed to post on the group, they claim that the work is simple. They send you links from Kilimall and ask you to click on them and like the image on the page. Your manager, Lucy, will then put the link on the page. To demonstrate that the group is active, I also think there may be a bot sending messages automatically. This is how the duties were arranged. After you click on the URLs they send you, take a screenshot, and submit it back to the “manager aka receptionist,” you will receive a lump sum payment after completing four jobs.
The first sign of danger
Following your click on the first three images, you are tasked with donating $1500 to a specific number. Once you send the money, you are prompted to email a screenshot, and you are then presented to a new person they have named TEACHER. Let me tell you, these individuals are incredibly organized, but if you stop to think about it, they must just be a group of people sitting in a room controlling three devices at once, and they function correctly with your brain. You are so focused on finishing each assignment that you barely have time for clear thinking at the end.
I sent the 1500 Bob because I was prepared to lose the money, but I also wanted to make sure they would return it; if they don’t, I have been duped; if they do, the service they are providing is legitimate, so I can proceed; little did I know that this would be the first red flag. You can’t get the money after completing the first three tasks they give you; you have to finish the fourth one first. They continue to compute the amount till you see the value in paying Ksh 1500 to obtain the additional Ksh 750 in money. After paying, I got a notification saying my payment wasn’t received. Panicked, I submitted more screenshots, not aware that the company is also utilizing them to verify your Mpesa balance and the amount you’ve transacted. They now confirm that they have seen my money once I send the message, and I’m doing great.
A second warning sign
A link that appears exactly like the Killimall link was sent to me. Since I don’t often shop there, I couldn’t tell the difference. As I mentioned earlier, Kilimall takes up so much of your energy that you don’t have time to consider things through. Therefore, I would counsel against even interacting with others because you stand to lose far more than they do. The fact that these people have Safaricom phone numbers—which, when you call, are unreachable—leads me to believe that this is a large network as well. I click on the link and it takes me to a profile page with all the features of Kilimall. They even put your store number there so you can see your money is there when you buy. Therefore, once I paid the $1500, the money was returned to my account together with the money I had saved. They split up the work into four groups, so after I finished the first four, I got the money. I go on to task number 5, and this is where things get interesting. After completing tasks number 5, 6, and 7, you are asked to pay $2500 to finish work number 8, which is similar to the prior Ksh 1500 task.
Third Red Flag
As I mentioned before, you were expected to finish the assignment in a specific order, therefore the delays you experience when attempting to pay out affect your desired delivery method. They let you know that your Receptionist has a memory of me, Lucy, getting you. that they’ll see to it that you receive your money back. They are putting a lot of effort and worry into helping you get your money back. They induce a state of panic while maintaining control over the intensity of that terror, particularly if they are aware of your MPESA balance. They keep requesting screenshots after every transaction, which is how they find out about the most balance.
These individuals have fictitious names, phone numbers, and personalities. Your brain’s dopamine is triggered by them, and as a result, you are excited and unsure of what to expect. I’m having trouble with my screenshots, but I can email them now. As I mentioned earlier, their Telegram is having trouble loading and downloading images quickly enough. I strongly suspect that they have some sort of control over how quickly images are uploaded and downloaded, both from them and from you. As this is going on, you find that the jobs that were originally estimated to take fifteen minutes are taking longer than expected, and the group is still receiving the actual work.
Fourth Red Flag
It takes me nearly an hour to finally succeed in cashing out the 4850. To make sure I was getting something, I was using a little notebook and paper to record the money I gave them. I had a gut feeling that this was exhausting and that I wanted to stop after earning the 4850. Before I even realize what I’m doing, “receptionist Lucy” tells me that I’m doing great and that they’ve noticed my consistency. I should now keep in mind that I’m entitled to the lump sum amount of money after doing the 12th task.
Remember that this is not her true name—the “receptionist Lucy”—and I’ll explain why in the screenshots. It appears that they are changing the identities and information on Telegram. I can’t even think clearly because of how many texts this guy sends at once. Recall the assignment that requires you to transfer money to a specific number and then you are asked to add more money. When I receive an assignment like this, I immediately send the 5,000 to the same number as before. They instructed me to add more money after I sent the first amount to help my merchant finish the transaction.
The fifth warning sign.
They advise you to carefully read specific instructions because they are aware that you can overlook some important details. Recall that task 8 requires you to give money and, depending on the task you select, to add 1000 Bob. They will then instruct you to send the merchant money, usually equal to your order amount, but they won’t tell you that they have seen your account balance through the screenshot. When you do, you’ll be forced to make purchases worth more than you can afford, which will cause you to lose the money you placed.
This image makes you wonder how a person with a +44 number called David understand how MPESA works has the guts to tell ,me daily mpesa limit is 490000.
After I sent them an extra $25,000, they requested an additional $60,000. The money vanished since I was unable to increase it at that particular time. They already seized the money. They have many lines, are aware of how MPESA functions and I’m positive they are not affiliated with the people committing the fraud, which is why I think it’s an organized crime. Additionally, they claim that the receptionist sends the group recurring messages and edits numbers. I’ll show you how to do this so that none of your text messages are visible to you.
Notice that these are same name different days and they altered the numbers in the actual phone number.
These people are going an extra mile of using people’s phone numbers which can cause harm to individuals who are not even aware their personal phone numbers are being used to scam people.
They cannot be located when you are on your own, and they take the money out right away to a till or an agent number or a number of their own making it a well-coordinated crime. They had 230 members when I joined the group; as of right now, they have 270, meaning they have conned about 40 people.
We can’t truly know every scam, but we can take a few precautions when we share these stories to raise awareness and outwit con artists. Cons can occasionally be cunning, much like robbers, and they will entice you with offers that seem too good to be true. If you have encountered these drawbacks, please tell us about it.
To sum up, my experience with deceit and betrayal played out like a carefully staged drama, leaving me feeling incredibly disappointed and shocked. The story of how I fell for a scam is a sobering reminder of the subtle tricks that can be found behind seemingly reliable façades.
Thinking back on what transpired before my unintentional entrapment in a web of lies, it is evident that the con guy used a cunning blend of charm, made-up promises, and well-planned manipulation. It was a skillfully manufactured illusion that turned out to be more of a golden opportunity than I had thought, making me feel vulnerable and less confident in other people.
This regrettable incident’s aftermath offers an important lesson in caution and discernment. It emphasizes how crucial it is to carefully screen people and situations, regardless of how alluring they might seem at first. When trust is broken, it can be difficult to mend, and the consequences of lying continue long after the scam has been discovered.
If i get similar or different con stories I will share them so that we have less victims in future.
