Embu County residents have been warned to be wary of fraudsters masquerading as Social Health Authority (SHA) agents and conning unsuspecting members of the public.
Several people have reportedly fallen prey to the impostors and lost huge sums of money from their bank accounts and mobile phones.
The fraudsters, three smartly dressed men and a lady, donned with SHA-labelled shirts, are patrolling different areas in an attempt to convince unsuspecting members of the public to fall into their trap.
They are said to approach their targets and convince them to accept to register their personal details, including ID and phone numbers with them by following several prompts.
With these details, they are then able to access someone’s bank and mobile money accounts and drain them.
Embu Senator Alexander Mundigi has appealed to residents to exercise caution when approached by strangers purporting to enlist them by the roadside.
Speaking at a burial in the Gachoka area of the Mbeere South Constituency, Mundigi called on residents to only register in designated places such as SHA branches, Huduma Center, or through online self-registration.
Additionally, Mundigi called on the security agencies to step in and break the syndicate to protect members of the public from being fleeced of their hard-earned money.
Mbeti South Ward MCA Murithi Kiura said the scam was rife in major towns, where the economy is strong with potential for higher returns.
“I have received several complaints from people who have lost money to the fraudsters, and I call on our people to be more vigilant when sharing personal information with unknown people,” he said.
By Samuel Waititu
