Six suspected cybercrime fraudsters arrested for defrauding victims by using call spoofing
Application enabled them to disguise their identities, through manipulation of phone calls and numbers to make them appear as if they were originating from authentic call centre
Six cybercrime suspects implicated in a series of serious fraud through spoofing to dupe their targets before siphoning millions of cash electronically have been arrested in a security operation conducted in Nyali, Mombasa County.
In a statement, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the six, Fortune Muthina Kinyanzui alias Albanas Kyalo, Ruel Kipkoech Yator alias Papa Ruel, Laban Kipkirui Koech, Weldon Kipyegon Rono, Towet Kipkorir Alphonce and Kelvin Kipyegon Koech, were flushed from their hideouts by a team of detectives led by the Operations Directorate.
It said the operation started on May 31 following an intelligence tip, after which the officers mounted a sting operation targeting the fraudsters who social-engineer their victims by use of a call spoofing application to disguise their identities, through manipulation of phone calls and numbers to make them appear as if they were originating from authentic call centres.
“Fortune Muthina (mastermind) is believed to possess the spoofing application which he used to aid the infamous ‘Mulot Swapper’ fraudsters at a fee to make calls to victims while masquerading customer care service desk attendants in banks and telecommunication offices. By deception that causes panic and a sense of urgency, the victims are made to reveal personal information that the fraudsters use to transfer huge sums of money to their accounts. So demanded was the App that the fraudsters had to part with over Sh 500,000 to acquire, have it configured and be provided with an IP address to facilitate their malicious activities,” the DCI said.
It added that the DCI officers raided APA Apartments Hse no. B2 (AirBnB) located along 1st Avenue in Nyali, Mombasa County where the suspects had set base, turning it into their training and working station.
They were found in possession of 19 assorted mobile phone gadgets, assorted SIM cards and SIM card holders (Safaricom, Airtel, Telkom and MTN Uganda) and a book containing possible victims’ records, among other items.
The suspects were arraigned at Kahawa Law Courts on Tuesday through a miscellaneous application seeking custodial orders to enable finalising of the investigation where the presiding magistrate directed that the matter be mentioned tomorrow for ruling. The suspects have been detained at Capitol Hill Police Station.
“Those who might have fallen victim to the fraudsters are advised to follow up with the respective stations investigating their cases for further communication with DCI Headquarters on the next cause of action,” the statement said.
