Jobless Conmen Preying on Kenyan Job-Seekers

Thousands of Kenyans are seeking jobs and yes, it gets to the point of desperation with the cost of living rising every single day. Another bunch of jobless conmen have devised ways to take advantage of the vulnerable job seekers by setting up fake companies advertising for jobs and exploiting money from them via M-Pesa and other mobile money transfers.

One of these conmen recently preyed on a friend of mine and after loosing her money and wasting time, she decided to share the information, so we can help other job seekers recognize the tricks of these guys. First of all, they sent her an SMS saying they found her number on OLX and that they were recruiting:

Now, here are a few things to note –these guys have gone a step further to make their business look legit by using Google’s free website service, KBO.CO.KE which is highly ranked on Google. This tricks the job seeker to imagine that this is a legit company with a good history and investment. These guys will often create multiple websites since it is free and eventually when they are exposed they will move to using a different name.

My friend who was desperate for a job was excited and went ahead to contact them. She went to the website and sent her CV to the provided email and eventually, they contacted her and told her that she had been shortlisted. Eventually she was asked to go for an interview but they needed a full medical report from her or she pays Kshs. 500 via M-Pesa so that it can be done at the day of the interview. This she sent the money, just like most Kenyans would, we rarely have full medical reports.

The money was sent to MARSYDEN MULEI – 0725644814 and she was even sent a confirmation and a reference number from the “Company”. She was asked to go for an interview on Monday 24th June and it was supposed to be a the Brick Court Building in Westlands.

Come Monday, my friend went there and when she got to the building, the guards told her they did not know of such a company on that building. Being a new company, she gave it the benefit of doubt and went ahead to look for it within the building. No one had an idea about such a company. So she decided to call the guys she has been talking to, the person who picked up directs her to another person saying he was not around. She calls the second person who in turn tells her that she was late for the interview but she can send him 500/= and he will pick her up at the gate of the building.

Naively, she sent the money and waited. The guy’s phone went unpicked for a while and that was when she realized she had been played. She had referred another friend so both of them fell victim to the con plan.

Please spread this message as far as you can and help vulnerable Kenyans avoid these traps. These guys are cunning and they know what will make you easily trust them, they ask for small amounts of money but they end up getting it from hundreds of people. Please report any of these cases to Safaricom and the Police.