Encounter with Kenya Charity Sweepstake Con

Saturday last week I encountered a man who was at pains to rip me off some cash and valuables. These days whenever I'm done with my days business in town (Nairobi CBD and its environs), I have developed the habit of taking my time at the bus station before picking a matatu home. I do this most of the time because I learn a lot from the ‘boys’ who man the station and shout their voice hoarse calling for passengers. More reasons for spending time at the bus station is a story for another day. Not the ladies though.

I had taken a strategic position outside Tusky’s Supermarket; the one close to Afya Centre where some matatus plying south B and Lang’ata route at times park rather illegally. A middle aged man around forty years of age approached me. “Where can I find KCS House?” He asked with a deep Meru accent. Even before giving a response, he went ahead and produced a Charity Sweepstake ticket and confided in me that he had won 200k and he was due to collect his cash price from the Kenya Charity Sweep-stake main office.

I told him I didn’t know the place but I asked him to give me a few minutes to Google it. “You mean this phone can show you where that building is?” He asked rather surprised. He pulled out his phone from his pocket and asked me if his can also do the same. Being a slow day I took the pains and explained to him like a child how to connect his phone to the internet and how to browse.

Like a 'good Samaritan' I offered to take him to KCS House along Mama Ngina Street so that he does not get lost. As we were walking along the moi avenue, the man introduced himself as Murume. He went ahead to tell me he comes from Mau Meru and the far he’s been to Nairobi is Wilson Airport to deliver miraa for export. “I even don’t have an identification card,” he added. Consequently, he wanted me to help him claim the prize money. I asked him why then did he not come with a brother or a relative to Nairobi. “I don’t want my father to know that I have won this kind of money,” he responded.

He narrated how he almost got robbed off his ticket with some Taxi guy along Luthuli Avenue. Allegedly he was willing to give him 50k and top it up with 100k after claiming the prize money according to unwritten deal they had brokered. He demonstrated how he had struggled with the guys to save his ticket. He alleged to have asked for help from a policeman who was close by before the guys took off.

Murume forbid me from making or receiving phone calls because it will seem like I am trying to involve other parties. The greed in me made me obey. He did not even want us to walk to the KCS House using the shortest route I know. He made us walk from Kencom House to Parliament Road then back to Aga Khan Walk. I became rather uncomfortable walking with him around town because he was talking too loud trying to portray how naïve he is.

We walked in to several KCS Kiosks inquiring about the ticket which I felt was too unnecessary. He even bought a card and scratched and inquired from the vendor about the term and conditions for winning. He brought up the issue of us going to a place (I don’t know where) to sign a deal. I told him that we can do from the KCS lobby so that I do not run away with his cash. He seemed uncomfortable with that. I added that I cannot go with a stranger to some downtown place to make a deal.

“Aki saa hii nikapata mtu hata kama ako na 150k anipatie mimi ntampatia hii card, si hata mimi niliinunua 20bob” Murume uttered. Here we were at Taifa Street next to Re-insurance plaza. "I know no one with such an amount at the moment," I responded.

As we were walking towards Kencom house with my newly acquired 'friend', he uttered with excitement, “Si ndio ile KCS House!” I couldn't see it properly because of the trees next to the International House. I wondered how he saw that. As if some force were driving me, I crossed the road and walked towards the KCS House; went and stationed myself next to the entrance waiting for Murume. He was nowhere to be seen. 

I later learnt that this is a ongoing con scheme around town. Its more than a decade old. My money and phone survived. Thanks to the silent prayer I made that morning after a Citi Hoppa bus almost run me over.