DCI exposes how 3 men used fake hotel booking to con victim Ksh7.98M

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has apprehended three suspects involved in a hotel booking and travel fraud scheme that defrauded a woman of KSh7.98 million. The suspects were apprehended in Voi Township, Taita Taveta County, following a probe by detectives from the Nairobi Region headquarters. The DCI stated that the suspects collaborated with others to deceive the victim into paying for non-existent hotel reservations, travel arrangements, and associated services.

The victim transferred the large sum of money over multiple dates, believing that the transactions were legitimate. Earlier, another suspect had already been arrested and arraigned in connection with the same case. The DCI emphasized that such fraudulent activities are becoming increasingly prevalent in Kenya, targeting unsuspecting citizens through deceptive online transactions and fake service offers.

The arrested trio will be arraigned at Milimani Law Courts and charged with Obtaining Money by False Pretences, as per Section 313 of the Penal Code. The DCI encourages the public to report any suspected criminal activities through its anonymous reporting channels, including a toll-free number and WhatsApp service.