Some of the SIM cards recovered from the suspects. /COURTESY.
NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 8- Detectives have busted a gang of five, believed to be engaging in fraudulent activities which include SIM card scamming to swindle millions of shillings from unsuspecting people.
The five were arrested on Monday night at an apartment in Juja town, during an intelligence-led operation conducted by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
During the raid, over 40,000 Sim cards were recovered as well as several mobile phones, three laptops and a list of names with Identity Card Numbers.
“The suspects are in custody,” the DCI said Tuesday in a statement posted on Twitter.
Last year, top communication service providers in the company lost millions of shillings to fraudsters, leading to a public outcry by stakeholders and experts within the financial sector- who called on the Government to enhance safety measures.
In June this year, Safaricom said it had launched an anti-fraud intelligence solution meant to alert financial sector players on suspicious mobile banking transactions.
“This product will enable financial institutions to check if a customer SIM swap has occurred in our network. The tool will empower them to make more informed decisions when interacting with their customers in the digital space,” Safaricom Chief Financial Services officer Sitoyo Lopokoiyit said at the time.
The product, he said, “will enable financial institutions to check if a customer SIM swap has occurred in our network. The tool will empower them to make more informed decisions when interacting with their customers in the digital space.”
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