Battle against rising online scams
Publish date: 28 September 2026
Issue Number: 1196
Diary: IBA Legalbrief Africa
Category: Kenya
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), concerned by the growing number of major online fraudsters, has cited forex trading, cryptocurrency, Arbitrage games, sure-bet betting, trading, glowing wallets and Telegram signals as some of the leading scams in the country. In a post today, DCI highlighted the growing use of flashy displays of wealth by individuals involved in alleged online trading, with fraudsters flaunting large profits on social media, reports the Kenyans. The agency noted that some of the individuals showcase stacks of cash, luxury cars, expensive drinks, international trips and high-end weekend lifestyles to lure innocent Kenyans. According to the DCI, the displays are sometimes accompanied by screenshots of trading dashboards showing what appear to be huge profits and captions suggesting frequent withdrawals. The caution comes amid intensified efforts by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to track unexplained wealth and scam-related cases involving forex and other digital money. In August 2026, EACC partnered with Saudi Arabia's Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority to trace illicit wealth moved across countries. EACC said Saudi Arabia's support has enhanced the commission's capacity to investigate increasingly advanced corruption cases, follow financial flows, and recover assets. At the same time, the Capital Markets Authority has also issued an alert warning the public against unlawful and unregistered entities operating in the country.