An ‘educative’ encounter with Vincent the ‘tele-conman’

It was a strange day. Rarely does it happen twice. A conman calling to try and fleece me by suggesting a sweet easy deal.

In the plot are hefty millions to be earned almost without breaking sweat.

The first guy calling from an Africell line announced that I had won myself Shs5m in the promotion that had been ‘on-going.’ He asked that I keep the phone on and walk to the nearest mobile money point.
Here I was supposed to send him ‘just’ Shs200,000 then he would give me the steps to follow to ensure that I got the

money as soon as possible. Why was his input needed? Because there were many winners and the people at Africell were planning to give the money to the people they knew. ‘We’ needed to move fast before they took ‘our’ prize money.

I decided to stay put and play along to see how far we went, but unfortunately, I broke the part where he said that I keep it a secret because I sarcastically announced to someone that I had won good money. The fellow switched me off instantly. When I tried to call back his line was dead.

Before long another ‘Vincent’ called on an MTN line. He asked if I knew which Vincent was calling. By then I was too busy to play along so I told him point blank that he was Vincent ‘Omufeere’ (the conman.)
He laughed so hard and asked how I knew him. Had he called me before? Had we met?

He warmed up to me and we then descended into an insightful conversation about this notorious trade.
What have come to be known as mobile telephone conmen, get to know your name and details from the mobile money platforms.

They pretend to send you money and stop at the stage where they are asked to confirm the details of the recipient. Here the name of the potential victim is displayed.

They then hatch a sweet deal to play on the greed of the victim. It is usually a scheme where you invest little or nothing at all but expect an unbelievably huge return. It is too good to be ignored. It is also shrouded in conspiracy, mystery and a form of fraud.

It is either buying a machine or chemical for an industry at an eighth the price at which you will sell it earning supernormal profits. Or it is prize money usually for an ongoing promotion by the big telecom or beverage companies.

Among the things he told me is that those who practised this trade had developed instincts when it came to ‘clientele.’

Basoga he claimed are some of the most gullible and therefore the easiest to cheat. He claims a Musoga client can keep putting money into the scheme for a whole month before they realise that they are being conned.

Batooro, according to Vincent, are some the most difficult to deal with. Even if you do not bait them, they are likely to trick the conman into a trap and get him arrested.

People from northern Uganda do not normally entertain this nonsense so the conmen do not waste much time on them. The others it is all up to God and fate.

Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t
What about Baganda? ‘This’ Vincent claimed without elaborating ‘is their thing!’ This left both of us in stitches.

Vincent cautioned me not to despise this trade because it has helped people like him to live well for the last 20 years (which did not sound truthful.)
How did he survive all these years without being arrested or exposed.? Vincent put it down to the legal system, which puts a heavy burden on the victim to prove that he was conned.

Many times the phone number is not registered. (Let us see if this re-registration of SIM cards using the national ID number will help.)

At times, once the conman is released on police bond they call the victim and tease, intimidate or threaten them which discourages them.

Then sometimes the police are ‘helpful’ to the conmen whom they interact with so often because of frequent arrests.

In a land full of young unemployed people, experiencing economic hardships, where sports betting is so rampant that it has become the profession for many, a chance to make money by throwing a dice in the realm of the unknown is too sweet for many to pass by.

It is also a land where a good number are preoccupied with praying to God for miracles often spending hard earned money on ‘miracle’ rice, water and bread to bring them blessings.

The conman has built his house on this mentality. He plays on the victim’s desperation and need for quick money.

He works with the confidence that his back is protected by the challenges in the police force that work to his advantage.

Next time you receive that call remember what you have read here, before you are fleeced.

Nicholas Sengoba is a commentator on political and social issues.

[email protected] Twitter: @nsengoba