Readers, beware crooks who are using classified ads to con you

At 12.06pm yesterday, I called “Are u doubting anything? Cal investigatos 0732555194”, appearing in the classifieds section of the Daily Nation on page 57.

Gearing myself up for any eventuality, I said I have a problem with my partner and I wanted her investigated.

“How much does it cost?” I asked. “It depends on instructions,” the voice at the other end of the line said. “

We will send you an SMS setting out what we do.”

The conversation took 58 seconds and within three minutes, at 12.22 pm, the SMS arrived.

“Am Major Rtd Godfrey, tracking experts (Trackways Africa Ltd). Send partner number. We retrieve even deleted messages, Whatsapp, calls, Facebook, names, numbers, places, tym and date, emails, conversations (very confidential) in one hour.” There was no mention of cost.

I called back to say that what they do was exactly what I wanted.

But I pleaded for confidentiality. “Don’t worry. We are professionals. Just send her number and your email address.”

With that assurance, I sent him the number and my email.

Then another SMS came: “Ok, noted. Am Major Rtd Bonface. Our email: [email protected]. We are retrieving from last year. Thx.”

MONEY FIRST
I noticed that the name had changed from Major Godfrey to Major Bonface.

Maybe there are two majors, both retired.

I also noticed that the name of the firm had changed from Trackways Africa Ltd to Trackways Kenya. Maybe the former is the head office in Nigeria.

Then at 13.43, after one hour and 17 minutes, voilà! I received the result of the investigation: “Is she the real wife or galfriend! Terrible! She is f***ed by 3 other guys who also send her money.

"We hav retrieved tangible evidence like smses, calls, places tym, dates, conversations, money transactions etc. Send 25K to 0790951876 we sort data and 4ward u reports imedtly.

"Its 4 reports with concrete evidence including even deleted messages sent and received.”

Almost immediately after I received the text message the major called. He gave me more juicy details.

He told me that my partner has a different number which she uses for M-Pesa transactions and that she has an account with KCB and receives money regularly from Karanja, a businessman.

I asked for specifics. “No,” he said. “You will receive the detailed report after you send the 25K.”

I asked him how long the report was and whether it would be a hard copy or email.

He said it would be eight pages sent to my email. I told him I did not have 25K at that time.

“How much do you have now?” I told him nothing but I could send him 5K on Friday (today) and the rest later.

TAKE CHARGE
Suddenly the major became angry, almost threatening. “Ur not serious. How can u give such a job ukijua hauna pesa? We will prov u wrong. U cant mess us that way…”

I decided to put an end to the conversation. I knew the rest of the lines.

I had proved what one reader, who had a real relationship problem, had complained about.

The reader had called the same number — 0732555194. He was also asked to send 25K.

The results of the investigation the reader received were exactly like mine, word for word, except in his case his partner was messing around with two guys, not three, as in my case.

Major Godfrey, Major Bonface, or Major Muriuki, as he identified himself to the reader who complained, or whatever name or military title he uses (to instil fear) with other readers who are too afraid or too embarrassed to speak out, advertises almost every day in the Nation.

It costs Sh450 per line per day for such classifieds. So the major must be doing well to keep advertising his services on a regular basis.

He uses different wording for his classifieds from time to time, such as “Spyweb”,  “CATCH/MONITOR ua cheating partner cal investigators”, and “CATCH/SPY ua cheating wife/husband cal spyweb”, but the telephone number remains the same — 0732555194”.

Over to you, Nation Adcentre.

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