CON ALERT!

General
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[SIZE=6]Daring con men run ‘Safaricom’ racket under the nose of police[/SIZE]

[B]MONDAY JUNE 26 2017

By STELLA CHERONO
More by this Author[/B]

They accost you, block your way and run after you if you slip away from their trap.

They then hand you a card and ask you to scratch it and win prizes — money, phones and laptops, among others.

Before you know it, you are a victim of con artists masquerading as agents of a ‘Safaricom promotion’ who offer you a fake phone or laptop or any other thing — but not before you pay some money.

NO REFUND
The giant mobile telephone service provider has, on several occasions, through its social media accounts, denied any link to the thieves.

They usually have a stand-by vehicle nearby, where they direct clients to go and ‘register’ and collect their prizes.

There, a man or woman demands money to “process” claims.

Some of the victims who reported to the police as early as March last year say they had not been refunded their money and the swindlers continue to run their business in broad daylight.

FREE PROMOTION
Ms Naomi Susy said she reported the matter at Central Police Station, Nairobi, under OB number 49/17/06/17 but often sees the people who stole her Sh6,000 on June 14 and they always want to take more from her.

“It was around 7:30am,” Ms Susy recalled. “I was intercepted by several ladies at Tuskys, near Co-operative House.

“They had some cards that had a provision for scratching. I ignored them and walked down the street, in a hurry to catch my matatu. The last lady managed convince me to participate in the ‘free Safaricom promotion’.”

SCRATCH CARD
After scratching the card, Ms Susy was informed that she had won a laptop and two phones.

The lady asked her to accompany her to a car parked nearby, at the August 7 Memorial Park gate.

“Around that car seemed to be a lot of activity. The lady asked me to give her my ID and the scratched card,” Ms Susy said.

SUSY DRUGGED

She was then asked to pay Sh6,000 to get her prize. She told them she did not have money but was heading to the bank.

“They accompanied me to the bank and I withdrew the money and gave it to them,” Ms Susy recalled. “I believe they drugged me because I lost my senses.

“After giving them the money, they asked me if I preferred the laptop or cash. I said Sh78,000 in cash. The catch was, I could only get it if I gave them Sh26,000, which would be reimbursed. In total, I would get Sh104,000.

“At this point, I realised that I had been conned. I requested to be given back my cash but somebody who said he was the supervisor told me, after insisting, that I could go to their head office for reimbursement.

"He gave me a phone, an MIN-X, which I understand is not authorised by the communication authority and is worth Sh500, if not less.”

POLICE ASSISTANCE
Ms Susy had to leave for work as it was getting late.

Later in the day, she approached a traffic police officer at the Railways roundabout and narrated to him her ordeal.

He directed her to Central Police Station.

The ‘promoters’, Ms Susy said, were so confident that they would not be arrested; they even surrounded her and ordered her to delete a picture that she had taken using her phone.

“More than 30 people came from the surrounding and wanted to take my phone. They said they were being protected by the police and there was nothing I could do to them,” she said.

THE CATCH
Mr James Kutoto, who lost Sh38,000, narrated an ordeal almost identical to Ms Susy’s — only that he lost more money.

Several other people have warned about the con artists on social media, among them Mr Joel Kioko.

“They tell you you have won three phones and a laptop. They then tell you that you can choose either a laptop or Sh78,000.

"Of course anyone would choose the latter. But there is a catch: you must pay Sh6,000 ‘warranty’ for the phones,” Mr Kioko said.
FAKE PHONES
The phones are fake Chinese-made gadgets “of some BMM model”, he said, adding: “Many unsuspecting people usually don’t have that Sh6,000 on the spot and so withdraw it from the ATM or through M-Pesa. I mean, who wouldn’t consider the money being won?

“It doesn’t end there: If you pay the Sh6,000 they then tell you to pay an extra Sh18,000 as security for laptops.

"If you choose it, they ask you for your phone and run a few commands and a message appears saying your password is, say, 674246 and it’s valid for 48 hours and that you present it at any of their care centres.”

M-PESA ACCOUNT

“They tell you that in about three hours, the money will be credited to your M-Pesa account and that you need to present that password in order to withdraw your money.

“What you don’t know is that they have dialled 1263*5#, a Safaricom command for redeeming Bonga points for free phones and accessories.”

INVESTIGATION

Nairobi Police Commander Japheth Koome said he had not received such complaints and that people do not report the cases, making it difficult to conduct investigations.

“It is difficult to crack down on an issue when no one has complained. It would constitute harassment,” Mr Koome said.

The Betting, Lotteries and Gaming Act, in its Article 55, prohibits gaming in the streets and other public places, whether on payment or otherwise.

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I can state that definately those conned are not ktalkers.
Lakini you are told you have won then out of the blue mtu anaku convince utoe facilitation fees. Really thats aggravated level of stupidity.

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Nashuku wanatumia madawa hawa wasee

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kuna talker alisema hapa venye aliambia mmoja wa hao ‘promotion’ ladies amuuzie coomer na akakubali

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Our obsession with free stuff is our major undoing. In your right mind can someone wake up from h/her hse and gift you sth valuable?

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:D:D:D nashuku huyo alikuwa @uwesmake

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madawa gani… bangi, paracetamol?

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Maybe a cocktail of both

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Heheehe, ama alimwambia coomer has to be on the menu before he participates.

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kuna dawa nilionaga kwa documentary Colombia sikumbuki jina but ni white powder. just av to blow it on you or touch you with it unapoteza rada unafanya vile unaambiwa

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Interesting …one question though, kwani hyo dawa haiwaaffect hao wenyewe?? Ama inaaffect mafala tuu :D:D

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heheh

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alisema huyo madam alimshow shot ni 800 atafute lodgo faster faster

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heheh

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mimi naona wakati mwingine hawa watu wanatumia nguvu za giza

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Hiyo story ya drugging ni uwongo. They con people due to their GREED and STUPIDITY.

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Sio nguvu za giza ama madawa.

Ni tamaaa ya watu. People like free stuff

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Its known as the Devils Breath

https://www.drugs.com/illicit/devils-breath.html

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[SIZE=6]Ile Brigade ya Anti-crickers nimewasaidia hapa

Devil’s Breath: Urban Legend or the World’s Most Scary Drug?[/SIZE]
Medically reviewed on Sep 07, 2015 by L. Anderson, PharmD
Next time someone tries to hand you a business card, should you think twice before grabbing it?

Some would say “yes”. There are stories circulating that a chemical known as “Devil’s Breath” is making its way around the world, being blown into faces and soaked into business cards to render unsuspecting tourists incapacitated. The result? A “zombie-like” state that leaves the victim with no ability to control their actions, leaving them at risk of having their bank accounts emptied, homes robbed, organs stolen, or raped by a street criminal. Are these sensationalized stories part of an urban legend or a factual crime scene?

Devil’s Breath is derived from the flower of the “borrachero” shrub, common in the South American country of Colombia. The seeds, when powdered and extracted via a chemical process, contain a chemical similar to scopolamine called “burandanga”. Borrachero has been used for hundreds of years by native South Americans in spiritual rituals. The compound is said to lead to hallucinations, frightening images, and a lack of free will. Amnesia can occur, leaving the victim powerless to recall events or identify perpetrators. According to a 1995 Wall Street Journal article, about half of all emergency room admissions in Bogota, Colombia were for burundanga poisoning. Scopolamine is also present in Jimson Weed (Datura stramonium), a plant found in most of the continental U.S.

And wouldn’t you know it – this street drug is available in prescription form, too. If you suffer from seasickness, maybe you’ve used scopolamine (Transderm Scop) on your last ocean adventure. The active ingredient is available in a 1 milligram transdermal patch worn behind your ear to help ward off motion sickness or postoperative nausea and vomiting. The medicine slowly absorbs through the skin from a specialized rate-controlling membrane found in the patch. It’s worn for three days before being replaced. The low dose and slow absorption helps to prevent severe side effects in most people. Scopolamine transdermal patch is not classified by the DEA as a controlled substance.

Controlled substance or not, there could be true illegal use of the drug. High doses or spiked drinks could cause issues. The State Department notes on their website that scopolamine can render a victim unconscious for 24 hours or more. In Colombia, where its use seems to be most widespread, “unofficial estimates” of scopolamine events are at roughly 50,000 per year. In large doses it can cause “respiratory failure and death”. However, these effects are due to oral administration in “liquid or powder form in foods and beverages”, not being blown into one’s face or absorbed via a piece of soaked paper. Not surprisingly, the majority of these Colombian incidents have occurred in night clubs and bars, reminiscent of the date-rape drug Rohypnol. However, some events in Colombia reportedly have an interesting twist: wealthy-appearing men are often targeted by young, attractive women; not the other way around.

Pharmacologically, scopolamine is classified as an anticholinergic medication and belladonna alkaloid. Side effects like dry mouth, blurred vision, headache, urinary retention, and dizziness can occur even at the low dose used in the transdermal patch. Overdoses can lead to a dangerous fast heart rate, dilated pupils, toxic psychosis, confusion, vivid hallucinations, seizures or coma, among other events. Use with alcohol is warned against in the official package labeling. Combining it with alcohol, as in a spiked drink, or with other sedative drugs would certainly hasten central nervous system depression. Confusion, disorientation, excitability, and amnesia could ensue with oral consumption. But immediate “zombie-like” side effects by blowing it into someones face? That seems unlikely, from a pharmacologic standpoint. Others have also questioned the reports of robberies taking place when the powder is blown into someone’s face or placed on a business card.

Accounts of scopolamine being used worldwide are available. In Paris, a report from Newsweek Europesurfaced that elderly people were being targeted by a Chinese international network. The U.S. State Department also warns on its website that travelers to Colombia may be at risk of robbery due to criminals using a variety of drugs, not just scopolamine. Medical case reports have been published of women from London having prolonged headaches after possible clandestine scopolamine exposure. Reports of illegal use of scopolamine in the U.S. are available, but unsubstantiated. The reliability of these all of these reports are difficult to confirm.

Nonetheless, these news stories highlight an important travel point. To prevent assault due to scopolamine, or any drug, follow these rules, as recommended by the U.S. State Department:

[ul]
[li]Never leave food or drinks unattended when traveling.[/li][li]Do not accept food or drinks from strangers or new acquaintances.[/li][li]Travel in a large group when possible, and don’t leave with a stranger.[/li][li]Always check the State Department’s crime and safety warnings before traveling to a foreign country.[/li][li]Seek medical assistance immediately if you believe you have been drugged.[/li][/ul]
Is Devil’s Breath actually scopolamine, an urban legend, or some other drug being used to incapacitate tourists? Maybe it’s a combination of all three. Urban legend or not, the use of drugs to incapacitate, rob or rape victims can and does happen domestially and internationally. Because of that, a dose of good senseshould always be used to avoid being poisoned, whether traveling abroad or just going out for the night in your own hometown.

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av also encountered them like 4 times, but i just ignore them.