The Kenya Forest Service has issued a warning about a new scam on WhatsApp where fraudsters impersonate Chief Conservator Alex Lemarkoko to extort money. The agency urges the public to report suspicious messages and avoid payments outside official channels. This alert highlights growing online fraud targeting Kenyans.
On Monday, November 10, 2025, the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) took to social media to alert Kenyans about a emerging extortion scam operating via WhatsApp. Scammers are impersonating the Chief Conservator of Forests (CFF), Alex Lemarkoko, by using his image as their profile photo to approach individuals and demand money.
In its statement, KFS detailed the fraudulent approach: "The members of the public are warned to beware of scammers who are approaching individuals on WhatsApp with their numbers showing a profile photo of the CCF Kenya, Mr Alex Lemarkoko. They then go ahead to extort monies from unsuspecting individuals."
The service emphasized that no legitimate KFS transactions occur outside the eCitizen platform. "The public is warned to share any such suspicious communication with the nearest police station or KFS office for further investigation. Nobody should pay for any KFS service or product other than through the legally approved e-citizen platform," the statement added.
KFS shared a screenshot of an example message to illustrate the scam. This warning comes amid rising online fraud in Kenya, where unsolicited messages, including fake job offers, are common tactics used by scammers on messaging apps.
The agency advised vigilance, recommending verification of communications through official company websites or social media pages. Public awareness remains crucial as fraudsters continually devise new methods to target users.