The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has warned motorists about fraudulent SMS messages falsely claiming that recipients have outstanding traffic violation fines that must be paid through a provided link.
In a notice on Thursday, December 18, NTSA said the messages are intended to mislead motorists into making payments on an unofficial platform.
NTSA clarified that the website mentioned in the fraudulent messages has no connection to the authority and should not be trusted.
"We have received reports of fraudsters sending SMS messages to members of the public, urging them to pay alleged traffic violation fines through a specified link by a deadline. Please be informed that the website mentioned in these messages (ntsca.cc) is not affiliated with or operated by NTSA," the notice read.
NTSA also issued guidance on how the public should respond if they receive such messages, warning that interacting with the SMS could expose them to financial loss or identity theft.
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"To protect yourself and others, kindly follow these steps: Do not click: Avoid clicking any links included in the suspicious SMS; Do not reply: Refrain from responding to the message; Do not pay: Never make payments through the provided platform.
"If you have already done so, contact your bank immediately to block or reverse the transaction and delete the message: remove the fraudulent SMS from your device right away," the notice added.
This comes a week after NTSA issued a warning to motorists about a fraudulent website impersonating the agency and conning unsuspecting Kenyans seeking motor vehicle services.
In a notice issued on Wednesday, December 10, NTSA alerted the public that a website claiming to offer motor vehicle copy of records and logbook searches does not belong to the authority.
"Alert: Mverified website does not belong to NTSA. If you have been conned via this website, report the matter to the nearest police station," NTSA announced.
The scam website, identified as "mVERIFIED," has been presenting itself as a legitimate platform that enables users to conduct motor vehicle searches and obtain copies of records.
The fake site claims to offer services such as Motor Vehicle Copy of Records Search using plate numbers and NTSA eCitizen Vehicle Logbook Search with status verification.
According to information displayed on the fraudulent platform, the scammers promise verified details of car or vehicle ownership, search results from online motor vehicle searches, and automatic delivery of a printable motor vehicle record copy via email within minutes of payment.
NTSA has clarified that motor vehicle copy of records and search services are only accessible through the official eCitizen platform via serviceportal.ntsa.go.ke.
The legitimate service costs Ksh550, payable through the user's eCitizen account, with instant turnaround time.
The official copy of the records document contains detailed information on motor vehicles, including the chassis and engine numbers, details of the registered owner, the make and model of the motor vehicle, and the year of manufacture and date of registration.
