“Ati nilikufa”: Woman learns friend faked her death, scammed mourners KSh 27k

This story has significance for readers across Kenya and beyond.

- A Kenyan woman discovered that a campus acquaintance had faked her death and created a WhatsApp group to collect money for her alleged funeral

- Mourners in the group contributed KSh 27,000 to the fake burial fund before the friend vanished from all social media platforms

- Michelle only learned she had allegedly 'died' when a mutual friend sent her heartfelt farewell messages meant for the deceased

A Kenyan woman identified as Michelle was left stunned after learning that a former campus acquaintance had faked her death, set up a WhatsApp group in her name, and collected KSh 27,000 from unsuspecting sympathisers before vanishing without a trace.

The elaborate scheme came to light when a mutual friend, who had been added to the WhatsApp group, reached out to Michelle at her number with emotional condolence messages, urging her to send a sign from the afterlife.

How Michelle found out she had 'Died'

Confused by the heartfelt and deeply sentimental texts, Michelle rang the friend to understand what was going on.

"My friend was just sending messages heartfelt and sentimental, asking me to send her a message from the sky. I was shocked, wondering what was happening. How was I dead? So, I called my friend asking what she meant by the weird," Michelle recounted.

The mutual friend then explained that a woman they both knew from university had told people in the group that Michelle had gone missing for an extended period and was presumed dead.

Those who believed the story went ahead to contribute money towards what they thought were funeral arrangements, pooling together KSh 27,000 in total.

Once the funds were collected, the woman behind the scheme disappeared, blocking Michelle on every social media platform and refusing to pick up her calls.

Michelle's reaction to the betrayal

Michelle described the ordeal as shocking, noting that the person responsible was not a close friend but someone she had simply crossed paths with during her time at university, meaning the two shared very few mutual connections.

"My friend 'killed' me and created a group for my burial before dipping away. Apart from blocking me she has become non-existent on all social media platforms," she said.

While she acknowledged that the current economic climate has left many people struggling, Michelle said there was no justification for resorting to such deception.

"She could have told me she didn't have money so we could plan something and help her out as opposed to scamming people. She shared still being shocked to how far to make money. Be careful who your friends are," Michelle added.

The warning resonated with many who heard the story, serving as a sobering reminder that in the age of WhatsApp groups and digital fundraising, not every collection is what it appears to be.

Source: TUKO.co.ke

Reporting originally appeared via TUKO. Read the full source for additional context.