TUKO.co.ke journalist Harry Ivan Mboto has over three years of experience reporting on politics and current affairs in Kenya

What appeared to be just a normal apartment in Nyali turned out to be the nerve centre of a sophisticated cybercrime network.

Six suspects were arrested in a joint operation led by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on May 31, after intelligence reports pointed to a syndicate defrauding unsuspecting Kenyans using a spoofing application.

"The operation followed an intelligence tip, after which the officers mounted a sting operation targeting the fraudsters who social-engineer their victims by use of a call spoofing application to disguise their identities," DCI said in a statement.

The suspects, identified as Fortune Muthina Kinyanzui alias Albanas Kyalo (the alleged mastermind), Ruel Kipkoech Yator alias Papa Ruel, Laban Kipkirui Koech, Weldon Kipyegon Rono, Towet Kipkorir Alphonce, and Kelvin Kipyegon Koech, were flushed out of a short stay residence at APA Apartments, along 1st Avenue in Nyali.

The apartment had been turned into both a training and operations centre.

According to DCI, the fraudsters deployed a spoofing application capable of altering caller IDs to make phone calls appear as though they were originating from legitimate customer care numbers of banks and telecommunications firms.

Using social engineering tactics, the fraudsters created panic and urgency during calls, tricking victims into disclosing sensitive personal details.

These details were then used to transfer large sums of money electronically to the fraudsters’ accounts.

"The application was so in demand that some fraudsters paid over KSh 500,000 to acquire, configure, and obtain an IP address for it," the investigative agency added.

According to DCI, Muthina allegedly rented out access to the app to the infamous 'Mulot Swapper' ring.

During the raid, detectives recovered 19 assorted mobile phones, dozens of SIM cards from Safaricom, Airtel, Telkom, and MTN Uganda, SIM holders, and a notebook containing potential victims’ details.

The six suspects were arraigned at Kahawa Law Courts on June 3, where police sought custodial orders to complete investigations.

Magistrate Court number two ordered that the matter be mentioned again on June 6, and the suspects will remain in custody at Capitol Hill Police Station.

DCI urged any members of the public who suspect they may have been defrauded to report to the relevant police stations and follow up with DCI Headquarters for guidance on further action.

This comes only a day after detectives nabbed three individuals believed to be behind a string robberies along the Nairobi-Mombasa highway.

The suspects, David Karanja, Juma Jumamosi, and Josephine Nthamba Mutie, were arrested following an April 9 incident where a gypsum-laden truck was hijacked near Ikanga after the crew was tricked into veering off the road.

According to investigators, the suspects staged the robbery by having one of them pretend to cross the road, forcing the driver to swerve and stall.

Two of the suspects led detectives to a house in Taveta, where crucial evidence, including the truck's number plate and burglary tools, was recovered.

Source: TUKO.co.ke