10/02/2023
FULIZA FRAUD - Explained Differently (Long Read)
Copied from Simon Mwangi Muthiora
In December of last year, I was having a chat with a friend at a popular joint in Kiambu. Suddenly, three DCI Subarus pulled up, and a dozen men who looked mean jumped out and headed to the main bar.
Within minutes, they arrested two female waiters and a male supervisor. A third waiter disappeared through the back door, and at the time, no one, including the manager, knew what was happening. "Mtawapata Central mkiwataka," the lead officer said as they drove away.
At first, we thought that the three could have stolen from a patron. The "kalocal" being high-end attracts important people and is also popular with hookers targeting wealthy businesspeople, wababas, and foreigners. However, we were wrong. It was bigger than we all imagined.
After a while, my friend and I left for a meeting before we could find out what was happening. A week later, my friend went back to the joint for lunch. He called me and asked, "Weee X, do you remember that story from last week at (###x)?"
I told him that I remembered, "So what happened? Are you there?" I asked him because I was at Windsor and the place was just a few minutes away. In no time, I was there. My friends, be careful out here. The three guys were in trouble for a murder they knew nothing about.
After their arrest, it was revealed that the guys had fallen victim to a five-man criminal gang posing as customers at the joint. The five men had targeted joints along Kiambu Road, Thika Road, Bypass, Thika, Rongai, and Eastlands.
The gang first identifies a club or hotel and, between two weeks and a month, they build a rapport with waiters and managers. During this period, they take the phone numbers of the unsuspecting waiters, which happens often to all of us.
Partying is their anthem! They will go there for two weekends and spend over 50k and pay in cash. Then on a bad weekend, they will come on a Sunday and spend 14k and go without paying, promising to pay the following day when they go to the bank.
This is where it gets interesting! Very few managers or waiters would have a problem with a 14k bill from a trusted customer who has spent over 50k there. At this point, the gang will have taken at least 5 to 10 numbers at the establishment, ready to strike.
The following day, the gang will "erroneously" send 140,000 shillings to the waiters for the bill from different bank accounts and pretend to have sent 140k instead of 14k. After a few minutes, your customer will call to tell you that he has realized he sent 140k instead of 14k. Weeeuh, this happens, right?
Then the guy tells you to pay the 14k bill for him, and you send 120k through M-Pesa and keep the balance, 6k. Someone hustling at a club will this economy and it's in December, getting a 6k tip will not smell any fish. After all, they will assume the customer is honest and is the owner of the bank account. Kumbe huyuko peke yako, mko wengi.
At the end of the week, the gang will have sent all five unsuspecting waiters 700,000 shillings from several bank accounts and received 600k back. The waiters could be from the same club or several clubs. Now, you will have innocently helped the gang to siphon tens of millions from bank accounts belonging to Kenyans who fall victim to SIM-swap cartels.
Imagine waking up from your bedsitter in Githurai, unapeleka mtoto daycare ndio uka hustle then boom. Unaangukiwa na ngori ya mauwaji? Mbabas ata hujui aliwekewa mchele bypass na akakufa, sim card ikafanywa swap na ukatumiwa pesa na Equitel. Wewe juu uko na shida, unachukua tip ya 6k ukalipe rent.
My friend, those guys will be in for a long time for unknowingly abetting a crime. Ukipata pesa from Bank na hujui nani ametuma, RUN to the nearest police station. Those criminals are making millions in a weekend at the expense of innocent Kenyans.
The 500 million Fuliza Heist reminded me about these Waiters who are now spending the third month in remand. By the time they prove their innocence, a whole year or two will have gone down the drain. Sadly, one of the ladies is a Medical Student at UoN and was hustling during the long holidays.
Be wary of who you allow to have your details no matter how small or insignificant it may look, eg a phone number, home address or even office address. We are all candidates for jail, it takes a second and before you know it, you're in a mess.
Mtu asikwambie nisaidie na simu I call someone, kataa kabisa, if he says he doesn't have credit on his phone mpatie 50 bob anunue credit atumie simu yake. The best you can do after reading this is SHARE WITH A FRIEND.
