Kenya's Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has flagged a troubling increase in fraudsters impersonating EACC detectives and targeting unsuspecting citizens.
Over 300 cases of imposters masquerading as officials deceived Kenyans with fake investigations and other scams were recorded in 2024.
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During a press briefing held on Monday in Diani, Kwale County, EACC Spokesperson Eric Ngumbi emphasized the sophistication of these fraudulent schemes. He described how these imposters operate across four primary categories, preying on vulnerable individuals and institutions throughout the country.
For instance, the fake Anti-Corruption Investigations Agency in Busia has been illegally collecting funds to resolve corruption conflicts and place caveats on land.
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The second scheme involves fraudsters issuing job seekers with fake EACC Integrity Clearance certificates in exchange for fees. The EACC provides these clearances for free, but they have been sold to victims as genuine documents.
A third group of imposters conducts sham investigations, arrests, and search operations, extorting significant bribes from their targets with promises to manipulate the investigations or dismiss potential criminal charges.
In some instances, fraudsters have posed as EACC officers or other law enforcement agents, invading business premises to perform bogus inspections of licensing compliance or counterfeit products, then demanding bribes to overlook purported infractions.
These fraudulent activities have primarily targeted state officers in the National Government, county officials, school principals, National Government Administration Officers, and private business owners, resulting in losses amounting to millions of shillings.
School principals, for instance, have faced false allegations of illegal fee charges and financial mismanagement, while county officials in charge of revenue collection have also fallen victim to these scams.
Ngumbi urged Kenyans to stay vigilant and report any suspicious individuals posing as EACC officers. He expressed concern over the ease with which many citizens are willing to pay bribes without verifying the legitimacy of the so-called investigators, further complicating the fight against corruption.
