Conmen target schools in fake bank slips scam

Police in Mumias are investigating fraud cases targeting secondary schools.

Police said they had received information from school principals that their schools had received fake banking slips from parents.

“We received complaints from several heads of secondary schools that during the opening period, especially when Form Ones are being admitted, a lot of fake bank slips are handed in by parents which don’t reconcile with bank statements,” said Mumias West Sub-County Police Commander Peter Kattam.

He said the fake banking slips are suspected to be generated in cyber cafes. He said the office of the DCI in Mumias had launched investigations targeting all cyber cafes in the area.

Police confirmed that three cases of fake bank documents had been reported at the Mumias police station.

Bank agents

At St Peter’s Boys' High School, the school principal, Mr Cosmas Nabongolo, said fake slips worth over Sh165,640 had been submitted by parents.

The slips indicated payment of between Sh32,000 and Sh40,000 that was banked through bank agents in Kisumu, Eldoret and Nairobi.

“Banking slips were brought to us indicating that some parents had paid fees when, in reality, they were conned by fraudsters,” said Mr Nabungolo.

He said some parents had confirmed that they were deceived by fake charity organisations claiming to offer money for school fees.

“One parent said he was approached by a person he knows who linked him to a ‘foundation’ which asked for Sh20,000 so that they could pay Sh40,000 fees for his son. After parting with the money, the parent brought a fake bank slip of Sh40,000 to school,” he said.

He said the slips presented to the school did not have a customer’s signature, a mobile phone number or a bank teller’s number and could not reconcile with statements obtained from the banks.

“We started experiencing this game last year. We have reported to police so that they can follow up on the matter. We have over 2,200 students and we are still sorting out more bank slips,” he said.

Mr Kattam cautioned parents who present such slips that they risk being arrested as well.

“Parents who present fake or forged bank slips to schools will not be spared. They could be accomplices in the fraud game. We also call upon school managers, principals and accounts clerks to be cautious and to report to the police any cases of fake documents,” he said.