Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) has exposed tricks used by fraudsters who impersonate its investigators and other justice sector officials to defraud unsuspecting individuals. RIB spokesperson Thierry Murangira on March 10 detailed the fraudulent schemes while parading seven suspects accused of impersonating justice sector officials, fraudulently selling land they do not own, and deceiving people at banks. ALSO READ: PHOTOS: RIB parades 45 mobile money fraud suspects The fraudsters gather information about people who have been arrested and then use it to contact their relatives. They often use women to make the calls, asking for bribes to facilitate the release of the detained individuals, Murangira said, explaining that fraudsters prefer using women because they are less likely to be suspected of involvement in such crimes, making it easier to deceive their targets. The fraudsters execute their schemes in different phases. Initially, they identify individuals who are not in custody but have relatives in detention for various offences. ALSO READ: What tricks do mobile money fraudsters use to scam Rwandans? They then impersonate investigators and contact these individuals. Once they establish trust, they escalate the deception by making the situation appear serious but manageable under their influence. They call the victims to a specific RIB station, creating an illusion of legitimacy. They arrive earlier than the agreed time, positioning themselves strategically to observe their target. When the victim arrives, they call the fraudster who pretends to see them from an office, further reinforcing the deception, Murangira explained. Once the victim believes they are dealing with a genuine investigator, the fraudster requests money, often determining the amount based on the seriousness of the case or the victim’s physical appearance. “Some victims pay as much as Rwf200,000. If the victim complies easily, the fraudsters may demand additional payments, claiming that higher-ranking officials also require bribes.” ALSO READ: AI voice cloning: How to protect yourself from fraud If a victim becomes suspicious, the fraudsters resort to intimidation. They threaten the victim, saying that if they report the case, they too could be charged with corruption, Murangira noted. Some victims, out of fear, refrain from reporting, while others expose the fraud. “In some cases, victims mistakenly believe the bribes led to their relative’s release when, in reality, the release coincided with legal procedures.” Secondary deception If the initial scam fails, fraudsters employ another tactic. A different individual, posing as a former detainee, contacts the victim claiming to have been imprisoned alongside their relative. This person asserts that they secured their release by paying a bribe and urges the victim to do the same. “After escaping the first trap, victims may still fall for the second one, where fraudsters pose as recently released inmates. They claim that the detained relative sent them to deliver the message, urging the victim to comply with the demands, Murangira added. RIB has urged the public to remain vigilant, emphasising that corruption is not a legitimate means to resolve legal matters. Murangira stated that these fraudsters create a false perception that RIB is corrupt, adding that it does not mean that all investigators are beyond scrutiny. From 2018 to 2023, a total of 56 RIB investigators were arrested for corruption-related offences, he noted.
