DCI Arrests Suspect in Ksh 450,000 SIM Swap Fraud Targeting M-Pesa Account

Detectives from the Operation Support Unit (OSU) at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters have arrested a suspect linked to a SIM swap fraud scheme that led to the loss of Ksh 450,500 from a victim’s M-Pesa account.

According to a statement released by the DCI, the victim had travelled to the United States in January 2019 for a job opportunity.

Before leaving Kenya, she enrolled her Safaricom line in the Daima programme.

This is a service that keeps a SIM card active for an extended period even when it is not connected to a network.

Victim Lost Ksh 450,000

The victim reportedly continued using the line normally until May 24, 2024, when she later discovered that her SIM card had suddenly stopped working, all services, including M-Pesa and cellular.

When the victim returned to Kenya in December 2024, she found out that her SIM card had been swapped without her consent or knowledge while she was still abroad.

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According to the DCI, the victim was expecting to find Ksh 450,000, but to her surprise, she only found Ksh 18.

Detectives launched investigations and discovered that in October 2024, the money had allegedly been transferred in two transactions to a phone number registered to a person known as Oscar Livondo.

Investigations Ongoing

After investigations, detectives tracked the suspect, who was in Ngumba estate, where he was arrested.

A search was conducted at the suspect’s residence, where detectives reportedly recovered two mobile phones and six SIM cards, which are believed to be connected to the fraud activity.

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The suspect is currently in police custody and is undergoing processing as he waits for his arraignment in court.

SIM swap fraud is a widely known cyber crime where fraudsters unlawfully gain access to another person’s mobile phone number, allowing them access to mobile money accounts, banking services and personal information linked to the SIM card.

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