The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has raised the alarm over a surge of fake SMS messages targeting Kenyans, falsely citing traffic violations and directing recipients to suspicious payment links.
The authority confirmed on May 24 that the messages are fraudulent, making clear that NTSA does not collect traffic fines through unsolicited text messages, SMS links, or any unverified third-party platforms.
“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,” clarifies NTSA.
Car owners and drivers have been receiving the fraudulent messages since mid-May, and some have reportedly fallen prey to the unscrupulous deals.
The fraudulent messages are being sent from phone numbers including 0141 583648 and +254 795 729 389, with the senders posing as NTSA officials and claiming to issue genuine traffic violation notices.
NTSA confirmed that multiple websites cited within those messages, among them, have no affiliation with or operational connection to the authority and were created to deceive.
Equally, shortened links embedded in the messages, among them, have also been flagged as fake and are suspected of leading unsuspecting users to phishing sites designed to steal sensitive data.
Buried within the phishing sites linked in these messages is a fake payment form requesting the cardholder’s name, card number, and CVV, information that no legitimate government platform would ever solicit.
NTSA clarifies on the shortened links that the authority has given greenlight on usage by the public,, where for SMS, short names for the transport body are NTSA and 22847_NTSA.
Additionally, its shortened website link is http://ntsa.go.ke, while its long form link is https://www.ntsa.go.ke/.
In this regard, NTSA urged the public to avoid clicking any links in suspicious messages, refrain from replying to them, never make payments through them, and delete such SMS from their devices without delay.
Anyone who has already made a payment through any of the fraudulent platforms is advised to contact their bank right away to block or reverse the transaction before further financial loss occurs.
“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,” stated NTSA.
The authority says it is actively working with relevant investigative agencies to identify and pursue those behind the fraudulent SMS campaign, with efforts to bring the perpetrators to book already underway.

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