Kenya, May 30 -- A Dutch man was cheated out of Ksh 3.6 million in a fake gold deal in Kakamega Town. He was tricked into coming to Kenya by a fraudster pretending to be a real gold seller from Ikolomani, according to the police report on Thursday.
The victim had come from Dubai to Nairobi and then to Kisumu International Airport.
There, a man who introduced himself as "Smith" picked him up and drove him to Kakamega, claiming they would look at some gold.
However, he was then attacked by three other men in a building where he had been taken under false pretences.
The men attacked him, stole USD 29,950 (around Ksh 3.6 million), hurt him, and left him at Kisumu International Airport. He later went for medical help and reported the crime to the police.
The authorities say that the victim had facial injuries and body pain but was in stable condition after treatment.
This case is part of a larger problem with fake gold scams targeting foreigners. Police warn that these scams continue to change and evolve, even though there have been many efforts to stop them.
They also urge foreign embassies and local businesses to be very careful before getting involved in any gold deals, especially since many similar cases are still being investigated.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Bana Kenya.