Kenyans have warned of a trend where scammers are increasingly preying on motorists by impersonating the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) through fake SMS alerts and cloned websites.
Some of the the messages reviewed by The Kenya Times claim a driver has outstanding traffic fines and warn of heavier penalties, such as legal actions or license suspension. The text messages urge immediate payment via the provided links that lead to convincing but fraudulent portals designed to get personal details and scam money.
Fake Websites Cloned to NTSA and E-Citizen
The scammers have gone so far as to create fake websites that resemble the NTSA and the E-Citizen payment portal. The fake portal asks motorists to enter vehicle registration numbers, ID details, and make payments for alleged services such as traffic satisfactory clearance or vehicle record checks.
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Inside the fake portal, the penalties are discounted, followed by the message, “Under Kenyan traffic regulations, you can receive a reduction of up to 50% on traffic tickets if you pay them within the first three days of receiving them. Failure to pay within this period will result in additional fees and restrictions on your driving rights.”
Once payments are made, the scammers disappear, leaving victims with financial losses and compromised personal data.
Juma G, an X user and a motorist, revealed that after she received the fake SMS, the same sender called her, asking her to send KSh5,000 to have her name cleared from the system. She also said that the scammers already knew her car number plate and even the color of the car.
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NTSA Warns Motorists about Fake SMS Alerts
On 18th and 19th December 2025, NTSA warned the public about the fake messages.
“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,” read part of the statement by NTSA.
NTSA issued steps to be followed when you receive the SMS, which include:
- 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.
- Delete the message: Remove the fraudulent SMS from your device right away
The authority also clarified that its official SMS short codes are NTSA and 22847, and the official website is ntsa.go.ke.
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