'Tinder Swindler': Kenyan Woman Narrates How She Lost over Sh2 Million to a Boyfriend She Met on Facebook

A Kenyan woman has narrated how she was swindled out of over Sh2 million by a boyfriend she met on social media.

Rose Kemunto, alias Rosa Kems, shared her 'Tinder Swindler' story during an interview on Hot 96 FM, saying the incident left her heartbroken and bankrupt. 

Rose says she met the man on Facebook four years ago and later entered into a romantic relationship that she expected would lead to marriage as the man presented himself as a "good Christian."

The boyfriend borrowed her Sh500,000 on the first weekend they spent together at her home to allegedly handle financial issues in his electricity poles distribution business. Rose blindly gave out the money, ignoring the advice from friends and family.

“He had a tender to supply some poles, but he wasn’t able to finish the tender, so he needed more funding. The first time I withdrew Sh500,000 and gave him in cash, then we went and had coffee and I also paid for the coffee," she recounted.

As Rose was committed to building a family with the man, she overlooked all the red flags and was sure the money was not lost given that they also drafted an agreement involving their lawyers.

Two months later, as their relationship blossomed, the man requested an additional Sh1.2 million and Rose had to take a loan from two lending institutions.
 
“He asked for Sh350,000, at the time I didn’t have the funds, so he kept asking me to borrow from an institution, so I borrowed from a Sacco and a bank, a total of Sh1.2 million,” she said.

This was followed by an additional Sh200,000 to facilitate the tender that was initially acquired and Rose still gave him the money despite being broke and even offered her car logbook as security.

By this time, her bank account was empty and she had quit her job to focus on building a company with the man. “Because the logbook was in my name, we went to a lending institution to exchange the car, I signed the documents and gave them the logbook,” she recalled.

After more than two months of dating, the man heartlessly broke up with her, claiming he did not want to burden her with the many debts he had accumulated.

Four years later, the man has never repaid a single penny out of the Sh1.9 million she gave him and an additional Sh350,000 investment from her brother.