INTERPOL Launches Major Crackdown on Kenyan Scammers
Key takeaways
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- The International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) conducted a major operation in Kenya, forcing fraudsters to flee for safety.
- 24 Kenyans have so far been arrested on accusations of defrauding foreigners through an elaborate scam involving credit cards.
- The now-famous Operation Serengeti was carried out in conjunction with AFRIPOL, an arm of the African Union formed to strengthen cooperation between the police agencies of AU member states.
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Kenyan fraudsters go into hiding to escape INTERPOL
The ongoing Operation Serengeti is part of a largely successful global operation that has recovered more than KES 1 billion stolen through fraud.
News of the high-profile arrests has sent shockwaves in local scamming circles as international agencies close in on the scammers.
Shocking revelations about the operations of a tight-knit group of alleged forex traders have surfaced, thanks to INTERPOL’s intense efforts.
These so-called forex millionaires are a small group of young Kenyan men who claim to have built their wealth through the lucrative forex trading market.
The group is known for their display of wealth, living an extravagant lifestyle with luxury cars, expensive liquor, and endless parties.
Raymond Omosa alias Kenyan Prince and recently deceased Denno Bright and Akoko Sirkal billionaire are some of Forex influencers known for flamboyant lifestyles.
Kenyan Prince has reportedly deactivated his social media accounts, a move widely believed to be a direct reaction to the operation.
Inside the world of credit card fraud (carding)
While young millionaires attribute their wealth to forex trading, new reports suggest that a massive credit card scam may be the true source of their financial success.
This comes as 24 Kenyans have already been arrested for being linked with the crime.
According to reports, credit card scam is a notorious and elaborate craft that involves pickpockets, payment clerks, sophisticated devices, and dubious holding companies.
Fraudsters gain access to a victim’s physical credit card or card details (like the card number, expiration date, and CVV) through theft, hacking, or phishing.
Petty thieves and muggers rob wallets before retrieving ATM and credit cards for purposes of fraud.
In other instances, scammers may hack into payment systems to gather credit card information to then conduct unauthorized transactions.
The criminals may impersonate cardholders to gain access to their accounts by changing account details like the address, phone number, or password, then making unauthorized transactions.
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Stolen card information may also be used to make purchases without the card being physically swiped.
Devices known as skimmers are often used by scammers to collect data from the magnetic stripe of a credit card, typically when a person uses an ATM or a compromised point-of-sale terminal.
Stolen money is then taken through unscrupulous PayPal accounts and hidden companies all over the world before it lands in scammers’ hands.
Over 1,000 individuals are reported to have been arrested in the global operation aimed at eliminating fraud. The criminal activity is believed to be a dependable economic activity for some Kenyan youth, who have gone cold to avoid arrest.
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