NAIROBI – The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) has issued a public alert over a growing scam involving fraudsters posing as KEBS officers to extort money from unsuspecting business owners.
In a statement released Monday, KEBS named a private firm, Multi-Works and Rights Enforcements Co. Ltd, as being behind a string of illegal raids falsely carried out under the pretense of enforcing consumer protection laws.
According to KEBS, the most serious incident occurred on June 16 in Bomet County, where individuals claiming to be KEBS agents allegedly stormed shops and demanded bribes of up to KSh 20,000 from each business.
“These individuals are not KEBS officials. We strongly disassociate ourselves from their actions and condemn them in the strongest terms possible,” the bureau said in its official notice.
Investigations revealed that similar impersonation and extortion cases have been reported in Kisumu, Kakamega, Meru, Machakos, Mombasa, and Voi. KEBS confirmed that Multi-Works has no current affiliation with the standards agency and that any previous authorization it held has been revoked.
“Genuine KEBS personnel are required to present both their Certificate of Appointment and official KEBS Staff ID when conducting field operations,” the bureau stated.
KEBS is urging the public to verify identities of officers by texting the staff ID to 20023 or calling the agency’s toll-free line at 1545.
The matter is now under investigation by law enforcement authorities. KEBS confirmed it is working closely with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), National Police Service (NPS), and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to track down and prosecute the fraudsters.
KEBS has called on members of the public and businesses to report any suspicious activity and to avoid giving in to unlawful demands made by unverified individuals.
