Car buyers lose millions of shillings to online fraudsters

Kenyan car buyers are falling prey to online criminals who are hacking into e-mails of genuine Japanese car sellers to defraud them of millions of shillings.

The Tokyo embassy has issued a warning saying criminals are hacking into online conversations between genuine car dealers in Japan and potential customers in Kenya and end up having cash transferred into fraudulent accounts.

Despite several warnings to potential buyers, Kenyans are still being conned by cybercriminals as they hunt for cheaper cars online.

This is how an importer becomes a target. A potential customer goes to a website to shop for their desired car model. An online search settles on a particular shipping company. The dealer, who is supposed to ship the car starts chatting with the customer through the e-mail, exchanging confidential information regarding the arrangements needed for the shipment.

“A fraudster then hacks into the dealer’s e-mail system posing as an employee of the company. The criminal continues communicating with the car buyer and later gives the buyer a different e-mail,” the Embassy says in its advisory.

“After frequent interactions, the criminal provides the potential customer with their own bank account for the purchase transactions. The gullible customer deposits the money in the fraudulent account then the hacker quickly withdraws the cash.”

Kenyans hit by such scams have reported such cases to the Director of Criminal Investigations Department and the Kenyan Embassy in Japan, but they are unlikely to get their money.

Charles Munyori, the secretary-general of Kenya Auto Bazaar Association (Kaba) said the cost of hiring a lawyer to pursue such cases is usually higher than the value of the vehicle.

And since the transactions happen privately between an individual and the hacker, there is no evidence that can be used in court.

“Individuals who expose themselves to such frauds fail to check with the registered import companies in the country,” Mr Munyori said.

"In most cases, it’s too late for us to intervene, the transactions happen very quickly. Getting refunded will mean hiring a lawyer in Japan, which is far expensive than the cost of the vehicle," he said.

Kaba said it was forced to travel to Japan to investigate the fraud cases, but locating and identifying the criminals was a challenge. Mr Munyori says such cases can be easily avoided, if one does research. He says that Kaba has a list of licensed vehicle importers in Kenya.

“Consult before making the purchase, be on the look out for any suspicious move, these will save your money, and alternatively play safe by liaising with us,” he says.

The Embassy of Kenya in Japan said that there are thin chances of consumers getting back their money from the transactions.

“Customers and dealers need to understand that once they have made their remittances to such fraudulent accounts, the chances of recovering such funds is almost zero,” the advisory read.

“In order to avoid such predicaments, potential importers and importers may need to protect themselves from skilful hackers and fraudsters by observing some guidelines,” it read in part. The embassy advised potential customers to remain in consistent communication with the dealer.

Close monitoring of e-mail passwords either by changing it frequently or making it technical will cut off the hacker from catching up with the communication patterns.

Japan remains the main source of used cars coming into the country with Dubai and the UK coming in second and third. Kenya increased registration of vehicles by 9.1 per cent.

The percentage may get higher with genuine transactions.

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