Alex Mwakideu warns Kenyans over rising pay-on-delivery scams targeting online shoppers
By Paulette Mboga, May 5, 2026Radio host Alex Mwakideu has raised concerns over a growing online scam targeting Kenyans through pay-on-delivery deals.
On Tuesday, May 5, 2026, he explained that fraudsters are using fake online pages to trick buyers into paying for items that appear genuine but are part of a planned con.
He said the scheme started with laptops but has now spread to phones and other electronics. He explained that many people are being attracted by well-designed online pages that display products with reduced prices and limited offers.
“Kitu inaitwa pay on delivery kuwa nayo makini sana. Kununua kitu mtandaoni, halafu wanasema kwamba ehh pay on delivery,” Alex Mwakideu said.
He explained that the scammers create attractive listings that appear real to buyers. He said these pages often show high-value items with prices that look like discounts, making them hard to ignore for many people.
“Kwanza niliona imeanzia kwa laptop. Saa hii imekuja mpaka kwa simu,” Alex Mwakideu said.
He added that buyers are shown laptops that look good and are priced at a lower rate than usual. He explained that the fraudsters make the deal look urgent by calling it a one-day offer.
How the scam works using real shops
He explained that once a buyer shows interest, the call is picked up by a scammer who confirms the offer is still available. He said the scammer insists that the deal is only valid for that specific day to push the buyer into making a quick decision.
“Unaona kwamba laptop hii, bei yake ambayo ni 85,000 sasa leo offer imeshuka hadi 65,000,” Alex Mwakideu said.
He said the buyer is then told not to pay immediately but to choose to pay on delivery. He explained that this makes the deal seem safe and convinces the buyer to proceed with the order.
“Unapiga simu hivi, inashikwa na mlaghai. Unaambiwa offer iko lakini it is only today on Tuesday,” Alex Mwakideu said.
He further explained that the scammer then contacts a real shop selling the same laptop at the original price. He said the shop sends the item through a boda boda rider without knowing about the scam.
He said the buyer receives the laptop and pays the scammer the agreed amount, believing the transaction is complete. He explained that the rider later contacts the real shop, only to find out that no payment has been made.
“Sasa mlaghai anapigia duka la ukweli la laptop ambayo inauza laptop 85,000,” Alex Mwakideu said.