A group of fraudsters in Nairobi are targeting stranded Kenyans in India with offers of tickets of non-existent evacuation flights.
Details emerged Sunday after a group of Kenyans, who had fallen prey to the conmen. They found themselves prey to fraudulent tickets. This raised questions over the high ticket prices. The prices were as high as $830 (Sh90,000).
The syndicate is run by Kenyans in Nairobi and is led by a former MP.
The fraudsters have been contacting Kenyans in India through social media with offers of tickets for evacuation flights. Prey to fraudulent schemes, these travelers were deceived due to India’s travel restrictions after the Covid-19 outbreak.
Last week, India’s aviation minister extended the suspension of international commercial passenger flights till August 31.
The fraudsters in Nairobi are communicating with the Kenyans in India through a WhatsApp group created by two travel agents. They claim they have connections with an airline from Middle East.
One flight was allegedly scheduled to depart from India on August 14. Travelers were required to pay between $730 (Sh79,000) and $830.
Fred Kinyua, who had brought his friend to India for cancer treatment in February and has been unable to return home since then, said he was asked to pay $830. He became suspicious when the agents got irritated with his many inquiries.
“While some were told to pay $730, I was told to pay $830. They will remove you from the WhatsApp group if you ask questions or go against their rule,” Mr. Kinyua told the Nation.
The Kenyan High Commission in New Delhi denied knowledge of any parallel evacuation flights organized by any group. They warned Kenyans against being prey to fraudulent tickets without confirming with the government.
“The Kenya High Commission is not in a position to seek clearance for a non-Kenyan airline,” Willy Bett, the Kenyan High Commissioner to India said.
He added: “Please advise all Kenyans that in anything we are involved in, we issue an official communication.”
Kenya formally asked the Indian government to allow stranded Kenyans to be repatriated in May and Kenya Airways was allowed to fly some 500 Kenyans out of Mumbai twice.
However, some patients and caregivers missed the two flights because there was no space and are still stuck in India.
By LEON LIDIGU
Source-https://www.nation.co.ke/
