Jonah Kariuki, the father of Boniface Kariuki—the young mask vendor who was shot by police during recent protests—has revealed how he was scammed out of Ksh 200,000 by people pretending to be officials from the Social Health Authority (SHA).
Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke, Mr. Kariuki shared details of how the fraud happened and how he lost his money.
According to Kariuki, the scammers contacted him soon after his son was hospitalized.
They claimed they were from SHA and told him they could help settle Boniface’s hospital bills if he registered with their health program. They told him the registration fee was Ksh 20,500.
Believing he was speaking to genuine officials, Kariuki agreed to send the money.
However, during the transaction, he accidentally sent Ksh 200,500 instead of Ksh 20,500.
“Yes, it is true. They scammed me out of Ksh 200,000, but it was a mistake.
They had asked for Ksh 20,500, but during the transaction process, I mistakenly keyed in Ksh 200,500,” Kariuki told the reporter.
The scammers quickly took the money and then cut off all communication. They also used personal details, including Kariuki’s M-Pesa PIN, to access his account.
By the time he realized the mistake and tried to stop the transfer, the money was already gone.
The family is now in a very difficult situation. On top of Boniface’s injuries, they are also dealing with the financial loss.
The incident has left them in pain and confusion, wondering how people can be so cruel during a time of need.
Family spokesperson Emily Wanjiru warned other Kenyans to be cautious when dealing with strangers over the phone.
She urged the government and police to track down the scammers and ensure justice is served.
By Newshub