His profile photo depicts money. He calls himself Mobigrow Loan and alleges that he works as the Sales Account Manager of Mobigrow Loan, a purported microfinance company that provides loans of between sh. 10,000 to sh. 250,000.
Mobigrow Loan claims to have offices in Westlands, Nairobi. However, the individual does not provide actual physical address. Apart from the photos of money intertwined in Mpesa and mobile phone graphics, he does not have any other snap shots detailing the companies premises or his own.
How does he fraudulently rob his clients ?
With these difficult economic times, it is easy for someone to fall victim by being lured to cheap credit facilities with a great hope of sorting out pertinent issues. The con artist joins mostly Facebook groups and posts catch phrases to attract potential victims.
His main phrases are:
'Are you in need of money? Worry less, Mobigrow loans is here to help you. Text the word Mkopo to 0725224682' or 'Text the word loans to 0725224682 for help. Kenyans for Kenyans'.
Once you contact him through the text message, he will direct you to send some amount of money depending on the loan you're requesting. After sending the money, he blocks your number, blocks your Facebook account and you will never hear from him again.
Several social media users have fallen prey.
Beware!
1. Rarely you will get genuine credit facility without registration, agreeing to terms and conditions and making savings.
2. Genuine microfinance institutions are officially registered, no matter their categories, including village banking.
3. Registered microfinance organizations must have physical addresses with offices they readily disclose to customers.
4. Such like institutions cannot block their customers mobile numbers or their Facebook accounts.
The fraudster could probably be in a dingy, somewhere in a Nairobi City slum from where he operates his fake online microfinance. Perhaps he could also be a hardcore criminal incarcerated in a cell, in one of our maximum security prisons.
Do not send money to strangers purporting to offer loans, employment or any other services before you do thorough background checks.