Editor's Review

NYOTA issued an alert to applicants seeking to apply for the business credit facility.

On Friday, September 11, the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) warned youths about a new scam targeting applicants.

NYOTA said the Fund does not operate any mobile application or website to approve applications or disburse funds.

It reiterated that all applications are exclusive to the Hustler Fund platform through the USSD code *254#.

"The NYOTA Project does not have an APP or website for disbursing funds to beneficiaries. Beneficiaries receive payments directly to the phone numbers they used during application for the respective NYOTA interventions.

"The official NYOTA Project application channel remains *254#. NYOTA Project does NOT use links to enrol beneficiaries into the project," the scam alert read in part.

President William Ruto interacting with a Nyota Fund beneficiary.


The state agency added that it communicates with beneficiaries through SMS and the project's official channels.

NYOTA cautioned Kenyans against sharing the links purporting to offer application and disbursement of the business funds.

"Do not be a victim of fraud. Report suspicious or fraudulent pages, apps and messages to the relevant authorities for appropriate action," the statement continued.

The con artists running the scam send messages to unsuspecting youths, run them through an application process and then ask them to pay a certain amount for their loans to be disbursed. 

NYOTA's scam alert comes amid a growing trend of scammers building websites which are clones of those run by government agencies, then using them to con Kenyans out of their money.

Earlier, the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) warned Kenyans against a scam targeting members of the public seeking driving school-related services. The authority said a poster circulating among the public is not associated with NTSA and is part of a scam. 

NTSA has also clarified that it has not contracted any individual or organisation to act as its agent in providing driving school services.

It added that it does not operate any driving school, and anyone claiming to offer driver training, operate a driving school, or issue driving licences on its behalf is misleading the public.