Kenyan Medic Who Just Landed In US Baffled As Scammer Renews Her Safaricom Line, Steals KSh 141k

• Fay Tall, a Kenyan clinical officer, had just landed in the US when she realised that her Safaricom number had allegedly been hacked
• In a recorded phone call, a Safaricom employee alluded to the fact someone had renewed Fay's number from Kenya and moved some money to an Airtel line
• Fay was told to wait until 2027, when she will return, and report the case to Kenyan police, then the agent who renewed the line will assist in investigations

A Kenyan medic, Fay Tall, who recently left for the USA, is baffled after learning that someone back in Kenya recently renewed her line and stole KSh 141,000 from her.

Why couldn't Fay access WhatsApp?

Speaking to TUKO.co.ke, Fay shared that she landed in the USA only a few days ago and was trying to access her WhatsApp for communication to no avail.

"The only WhatsApp remaining was the one I had linked to the laptop. I have my SIM card, but I can't access it, and didn't have the network," said Fay.

"My husband in Australia sent KSh 50,000 in the morning after he received a message telling him to send money; he thought I was asking for money. They had logged me out, and all the codes of my socials were sent to that line. How is it possible that someone can renew my line and yet I am out of the country," posed Fay in a recorded call with Safaricom posted on her wall.

How did Fay lose KSh 141,000?

In the recorded conversation with Safaricom personnel, it was confirmed that the line was renewed, and the money was moved to an Airtel line. Initially, she had KSh 91,000 in her phone. With the additional KSh 50,000 her husband sent, it emerged that KSh 141,000 was lost.

"Guys, Safaricom has helped; they said when I return in 2027, I should go to the nearest police station, and they will disclose the agent who helped replace the line for investigations!" said the clinical officer.

WhatsApp was not the only app affected, as the hacker went as far as hacking Gmail.

"My email is also gone , when I try to reset the password it sends the code to the 0705 number, which obviously has been replaced by the scammer. If anyone can hook me up with a Safaricom agent directly to block my line I will appreciate!" she asked in a previous post.

"So this is the number that logged in to my Google account through a Tecno spark 10c and an unknown android (0101053809). Can anyone help find the owner registered to?" she wondered.

"My line was successfully suspended, but the scammer is still active on WhatsApp with the same line. Please don’t send any money. Help me report the account to WhatsApp so it can be banned. 070565428," said Fay.

"The money will not be recovered. Safaricom was not helpful at all. They need to be accountable; they just said they will send a ticket for Airtel to block the number that the scammer sent money to," Fay told TUKO.co.ke.

Reactions from Netizens

Kips Nicholas:

"2027 huyo nyangau atakuwa mbali making it impossible."

Albert Tangui

"I once tried contacting customer care at Safaricom, and I am abroad with the same case like yours very urgently; they just kept saying to visit the nearest Safaricom shop. In fact, I told the customer service agent and explained very well I am in Europe, but she shouted at me to visit the nearest Safaricom shop. I think Safaricom's CEO should tell us more branches they have abroad, in the USA, Europe, or anywhere else. We can visit them without a problem."

Esther Kirong Chepkoech:

"Wow! What service is this from the biggest company!"

Cheruyot Dominic Ngetich

"This is the problem of disclosing everything in the public domain. The hacker knew very well that you wouldn't be around Kenyan network horizons, and they definitely took advantage of this by replacing it."

Dennis Mukhwana:

"Sad, we trust them with our transaction, but when things fall apart, you are on your own."

Isaac Bii:

"Itabidii umerudi Kenya kwanza tushike hawa wakora."

Peter Kwemoi:

"That's the standard procedure, use a lawyer that you know to pick up that matter on your behalf. It has to start with a police report."

Safaricom tips to help keep apps safe

To guard against hacking incidents, Safaricom shared several tips, such as dialling *106# to determine how many numbers have been registered under one's name.

To prevent your SIM Card from being swapped without your presence, dial *100*100#. If someone tries registering a new line using your ID, you will receive an SMS from 707 asking you to confirm that you are registering a new line.

Safaricom only calls from 0722000000.

"Safaricom staff will never ask you to share your MPESA PIN, SIM passcodes or password. Do not divulge your personal information to anyone. Notify Safaricom of imposters and suspicious branded links/websites/social media handles. Do not share any personal details with anyone on such platforms," reads a part of a blogpost on the Safaricom website.

"Always protect your personal information such as ID number, date of birth, full names, address etc.Do not follow or key in instructions from unknown callers. Safaricom customer care will never call you and then send you to the nearest agent for a reversal.Do not divulge any other information such as your one-time passcodes to anyone. Examples include ATM withdrawal code, authentication code for Safaricom app or other service," reads another section.

Kenyan man says scammers Hacked Gmail, stole From M-Pesa

In another story, a Kenyan man pointed out that after hackers breach Gmail accounts, they gain access to phone contacts and send mass screenshots or links, pretending to offer get-rich-quick schemes.

He narrated how his close friend's Gmail account was taken over by scammers who texted him and others sharing M-Pesa screenshots of how he could 'earn KSh 250,000'.

Cybersecurity expert Allan Lwala explained that the fraudsters manipulate emotions to deceive Kenyans into falling for their scheme.

Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura Guthua, journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke