Detectives say the arrest of a father and son in Komarock may be just the tip of the iceberg in Nairobi’s growing wave of mobile money fraud.
The two, identified as 49-year-old Peter Mwendwa Musyoka and his 23-year-old son, Dennis Musyoka, were seized by officers after weeks of digital tracking linked them to a Sh236,000 fraud at an M-Pesa outlet in Gikomba.
But investigators believe their scheme is part of a much larger criminal network preying on mobile money operators across the city.
A raid on their hideout in Nyama Villa estate unearthed laptops, smartphones, dozens of SIM cards, multiple national IDs, and agent details from Safaricom, Airtel and Telkom.
According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), such evidence points to a well-oiled ring capable of defrauding unsuspecting dealers on a massive scale.
“The suspects are linked to a wider syndicate that has been systematically targeting mobile money shops,” the DCI noted.
Mobile money outlets handle billions of shillings daily, making them lucrative targets for fraudsters who exploit system loopholes and human error.
Authorities say the trend is fast evolving into one of the biggest security challenges for small traders who depend on agency banking.
For operators, the Gikomba case is a chilling reminder of how fraud networks operate with increasing sophistication. Security agencies are urging agents to adopt stricter verification and transaction protocols to minimize risk.
The Musyokas remain in custody awaiting court charges ranging from identity theft to obtaining money by false pretence.
But as detectives widen their probe, attention is now shifting to the bigger question: how many more syndicates are still out there exploiting Kenya’s thriving mobile money economy?
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