This Article might be long-but definitely easier to read than lose your hard earned cash..I encourage you guys to read it
Never, never reveal your pin number/name to anybody! Professional companies do not ask for these. But, also be aware that, as the conman hereunder, these people are professionals – so they might ask you to punch in your number. Don’t.
Do not ever use your or a close family member’s birth date as a pin or code number!
This incident happened to a colleague recently.A bad experience indeed.
He received a call from someone claiming to be calling from Safaricom.The caller was very composed.
The caller told him ‘thank you for being our loyal and valuable MPESA customer.You recall we had initially given you a black Sim card but changed to green”.He answered in the affirmative.The caller then went ahead to tell him that Safaricom was running a reward promotion scheme for their loyal MPESA customers and went ahead to ask him to confirm his National ID number and year of birth.Unsuspecting,he disclosed that information.Coincidentally his birth year was also his Mpesa pin no.
The guy posed for a while and asked him whether 19- – (say 1967) was his year of birth .He again answered in the affirmative.
The caller then told him he would be sent Nokia 8230, but before then he needed to dial *33*0000# ,which he did.He was then told not to call or transact anything using his line for the next ten minutes as they perfrom transactions,purportedly at Safaricom,facilitating the process of receiving the Nokia 8230 set.He complied.He is asked about his current location,which information he gives.
After 10 minutes he tried to call back the number to confirm status of the alleged gift only for the following message to appear :”Barring all outgoing calls activated for SMS services activated for all data circuit async”.
After 15 minutes the wife calls him on his alternate line claiming that some one had called her using his (husband”s ) safaricom line telling her to send them Ksh.10,000 for his release from arrest.She is baffled and hence decides to use alternate line,only to discover he is safe and sound.
In the meantime the wife calls safaricom to block the line,but it was too late,as all the money in his MPESA had been withdrawn.
What is apparent is that this line was blocked by the code he typed ,viz *33*0000#.
The question uppermost in mind is how it could be unblocked without some form of connivance by Safaricom staff.He had a substantial amount in his Mpesa account.Could these thugs be getting targeting lines-with good balances through connivance with Safaricom staff.
It is unlikely Safaricom will admit culpability,but tujichunge wenyewe.Keep safe.
The caller identified himself as Alex Omondi(Of course fake name) and called using 0720 464 777
It is safer to tell this caller to call back in a while whilst you check with Safaricom customer care by dialing 100 from your Safaricom line or 020 4272100 from land line or any other line. Do not carry out any instructions on phone without firm confirmation that you are doing the right thing.
Guys, kaeni chonjo tafadhali. Share this story to your loved ones.
