Unsuspecting students in Nakuru are falling prey to cunning conmen who have invaded the town.
The conmen are allegedly targeting local university students and in most cases, swindling them of their money.
A first year student at St Pauls University, Caleb Mwiti said he fell to a conman who identified himself as a bank employee. The man had promised to assist him open a student’s savings account at a recognised bank. The student was promised that the account attracted high interest rates per semester at Sh500 fee and a deposit of Sh5,000.
According to Mwiti, the con accosted him at an entertainment spot and lured him into giving out all his details and important documents and the money through a mobile money transfer service.
He said he got a rude shock when he was informed that the bank did not have such an employee when he checked on him two days later.
“He had a job card bearing the details of the bank. He told me that his department was out to save students time at the banks by having not to queue which I thought was a good idea,” said Mwiti.
Another victim, James Mwaura of Moi University Medical Campus said he was lured into accepting a low rate residential house by a con woman who said she owned a private house in the town. He also was accosted at a club and the woman drove him to the house.
Mbugua says he was drugged and lost Sh4,000 and a mobile phone while the woman entertained him at a local club.
“She had told me that I would save more than Sh5,000 per semester as the house was her. She said that she inherited it from her late husband who died in Somalia,” Mbugua said.
Contacted for comment, Nakuru OCPD Bernard Kioko said he was not aware of such incidencts. He advised new and regular university students in the town to be on the lookout for con people and to report such cases to police for investigations.