CA warns consumers not to disclose personal details such as bank accounts details, ATM PIN, usernames and passwords to third parties.
NAIROBI, Kenya, Sept 26 – The Communications Authority of Kenya has warned consumers to be careful when shopping online following reports of suspicious and fraudulent online stores.
The Authority has singled out various websites and mobile applications that purport to sell goods and services online, with criminals luring buyers through deals via email, SM, social media and phone calls.
“They also request for a registration fee for the goods or service,” said CA Director General Francis Wangusi in a statement.
Wangusi said consumers should be suspicious of online shops without a registered physical address, unavailable customer care numbers and questionable telephone numbers, email addresses and websites.
The suspicious online shops also tend to use social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to perpetrate the fraud.
The Authority has advised consumers to avoid installing apps with questionable sources, verify the authenticity of online platforms through family or friends as well as desist sending money to mobile numbers belonging to individuals posing as representatives of such online stores.
In addition, CA warned consumers not to disclose personal details such as bank accounts details, ATM PIN, usernames and passwords to third parties.
The warning from CA comes after consumers reported online fraud cases to the National Kenya Computer Incident Response Team Coordination Centre.
