Rogue travel agencies are still exploiting innocent Kenyans who are desperately looking for job opportunities abroad. Many victims have come forward to share their painful experiences after being scammed by dishonest agents who promise high-paying jobs overseas but end up taking their money and leaving them hopeless.
One of the latest scams involves a Nairobi-based agency that operates near Jeevanjee Gardens. This agency appears genuine at first, asking victims to pay a small amount of money, usually around KSh10,000, for what they call a medical examination. This makes the process look official and trustworthy.
However, once the victim has paid, the agency continues to ask for more money, claiming it’s needed to process travel documents. Many of the victims end up paying large sums of money, often over KSh150,000, believing they are on their way to get a better life in countries like Kuwait.
But instead of receiving real travel documents or job placements, they are sent fake visas and empty promises. By the time they realize the truth, they have already sacrificed everything. Some even shut down their small businesses just to afford the payments.
What’s worse, once they report the matter to the police or agencies like the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the process is so slow that many victims feel abandoned. It leaves them feeling frustrated and helpless, as they wait for justice that never seems to come.
One victim, who shared her story with blogger Cyprian Nyakundi, said, “Hello Cyprian. Kindly hide my identity. There is this one Doreen Kajuju, she works with a travel agency by the name Kenkir. Iko opposite Jeevanjee Gardens, hiyo building iko before Family Bank. You go there unaambiwa kuna kazi Kuwait na commission ni 180K. Unalipa 10K kwanza, unapelekwa medical, then unaambiwa goja tutakucall when everything is fine. After 2 weeks unatumiwa fake visa alafu unaambiwa toa 150K ili waweze kuprocess your travel documents. Kutoka hapo sasa ndiyo kinaumana… Kindly help me expose these cons. I closed my shop, sent her the money, sasa niko tu with nothing. Nilienda DCI nika-report, kesi ikaanza but now it’s 2 months. Niliambiwa kuna pesa inahitajika kwanza na sina.”
This story is not unique. Many others are suffering in silence because they are afraid or ashamed to speak out. Meanwhile, agencies like Kenkir continue to operate, trapping more victims daily. Unless strong action is taken, more Kenyans will continue to fall for these traps.
Government agencies and law enforcement must act quickly and seriously to shut down these fraudulent operations and hold those responsible accountable. People looking for jobs abroad should also be more careful, ask questions, and avoid paying large amounts upfront without proper verification. The pain and damage caused by these scams go beyond money they destroy people’s dreams and lives.
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