IN SHORT: In a tough economic climate, loans for struggling businesses would be welcome. But this Facebook page is out to scam.
Posts by the Facebook account Hon Edna Lenku claim to offer soft loans with no interest and repayable in two years.
Edna Lenku is the wife of the governor of Kajiado county Joseph Ole Lenku. Kajiado county is south of the Kenyan capital Nairobi.
The posts are the same, and read, in part: “ Do you know that you can get a soft loan that is unsecured and easy to pay through my JIENDELEZE BUSINESSE SOFT LOANS project you can get a soft loan that has no interest rate and payble in 24 months (2yrs) with a grace period of 3months , All you need to do is to send in your loan application containing your details that is. 1:Phone Number 2:ID Number 3:Full Names/Age 4:Loan Amount.”
The posts also list the “security fee” for each loan available. They then ask those interested to call “through the office help line” and list a phone number.
Other posts on the account appear to show Lenku's various engagements and whereabouts.
But is the county first lady also offering loans?
Lenku dismisses fake account on official Facebook page
The posts are sloppily written, with misspelled words, poor punctuation and random use of upper and lower case. This is unlikely for the official social media account of a public figure.
The official Facebook page for Edna Lunku is Edna Lenku, First Lady Kajiado County.
This page makes no mention of giving business soft loans to Kenyans. She has also dismissed the page as “FAKE”.
“ALERT! ALERT! Please be advised, I do not operate the below account. The account is fake. It has been reported and investigations are underway. Please let others know so as not to be conned!” Lenku wrote on 16 April 2023.
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