Beware! Tricks By Con Artists And Tips On How To Keep Their Cursed Hands Off

On most occasions, Kenyans migrate from their rural areas to the urban, such as Nairobi, in search of jobs, some come to reap off those that come to seek decent jobs and they are in our midst, they Nairobi’s dreaded con artists.

Like other professionals, they wake up, clean and dress up ready for another at work only that in their work, you, whom I assume to be a dignified paper chaser, and I fall victim and lose our hard belongings and money to them.

The emotions that take place after losing to a con artist are gradual and begin with shock, the minute you notice you’ve lost either money or electronic, you are shocked.

Once the shock drowns in, anger towards the con artist follows in and is accompanied by disgust for them, you internally or loudly curse them but they are long gone by this time.

The anger for the con artist is slowly followed by self-blame and at this point diverts the anger to yourself, the victim, you start thinking of what you should or should not have done to have avoided the situation but that does not solve your situation.

Embarrassment then kicks in, in your process of emotions after being conned and this leaves you mostly wondering how stupid you are, naive, lack discernment and right judgement.

A con artist mostly leaves you too embarrassed to share your experience as you feel you will be judged and viewed as naive but did you know that in every five people in Nairobi, four have been conned and lost.

Most Kenyans and international guests are scared to walk around Nairobi especially in the Central Business District (CBD) as con artists target all, from the high-income earners strolling in the streets to the house helps who tour the streets on Sunday, which is mostly their off day.

Open up and share your experiences knowing well that the only way to beat them at their game is by sharing so as many people as possible get to know and stay safe.

I share a few tricks played on Nairobians with you, share yours in the comment section and help stop con artists in Kenya:

The Safety-Belt Tactic

“We were all seated in a minibus approaching the Central Business District (CBD). It was noisy and aired explicit music videos,” Wambui says.

“Karao! Karao! Fungeni mishipi! (Cops! Cops! Buckle up!),” I heard some guy shout. Scared of getting arrested for not buckling up, I frantically began to search for the safety belt,” Wambui says, adding that getting buckled took her several minutes.

“Immediately I was through buckling, the guy seated next to me wanted to alight, I squeezed myself to create room for him,” Wambui says with a beaten look.

“I settled and decided to draw out my phone out of habit, it was not there,” Wambui says adding that she emptied her bag onto her laps hoping she could find it to no avail.

“I even checked the floor of the moving minibus,” Wambui says with a weak smile adding that when the whole ordeal began to unfold in her mind, she was mad at herself.

Wambui’s phone was stolen as soon as she turned to buckle, the guy sitting next to her unzipped her bag, removed the phone and alighted before she could notice her bag was unzipped.

Wambui’s experience is similar to that of con artists who sit next to you in a matatu and while passing their bus fare to the conductor, which is mostly in form of coins, pretend to drop some of it by mistake.

The con artists in Nairobi request you to assist in looking for the ‘dropped coins’ and as you both bend to look for the lost monies, their partner in crime on your other side, unknown to you, floss your pockets, handbags and every hole that looks promising.

The Nairobi con artists could also deviate your attention from your bag by either pretending one of the passengers is sick and about to vomit, the vomiting passenger is a con and will face you in a way that will make you realize they are about to vomit on you.

In your rush to escape the vomit, at this time you are sitting near the window which the fake vomiting guy wants to access, you will most likely want to move seats and in the pushing and squeezing, they will frisk you.