Recent robbery and sexual-assault cases investigated by Kenyan authorities are highlighting the risks people can face when meeting strangers they first encounter through dating applications and social-media platforms.
In one recent case, a Nairobi woman reported being robbed by a man she had met through a dating application and dated for several months.
According to her account, the two had travelled together before later visiting Nakuru, where they stayed in a rented apartment.
The woman said she left her phone and cash in the apartment while the pair went out for breakfast. The man later allegedly left the restaurant, saying he needed to collect something, but did not return.
When she went back to the apartment, she discovered that her phone, cash and some personal belongings were missing.
She reported the matter to police.
The woman also said she discovered that the name used by the man during their relationship did not match the name registered on the mobile-money account she had dealt with.
In another case reported in Nairobi, a woman who had met a man through TikTok was allegedly attacked after agreeing to meet him.
According to accounts presented to investigators, the man arrived after the woman had waited for him and the two subsequently walked together.
She was allegedly attacked from behind and lost consciousness. She later reported that she had been surrounded by several men who demanded money from her and instructed her to obtain funds from relatives.
She was allegedly forced to transfer Sh28,500 before being sexually assaulted and abandoned.
The case is under investigation and the allegations have not been proved in court.
A separate case involving a foreign national was reported in Mombasa in 2025.
According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, a woman allegedly arranged to meet a British national at her residence after communicating with him online.
Investigators said other men subsequently entered the residence and allegedly threatened the visitor before demanding about Sh800,000.
Police arrested two suspects in connection with the incident, while investigations into another suspected accomplice continued.
The DCI said its investigations pointed to an alleged pattern in which online contacts were used to arrange meetings before victims were robbed.
The agency has urged members of the public to exercise caution when meeting people they first encounter online, particularly in private or secluded places.
“Members of the public are advised to exercise caution when meeting people they meet online and to avoid secluded places,” the DCI said.
Police have also advised people to meet new contacts in public places, inform a trusted person about their whereabouts and avoid going to private locations with people they have only recently met online.
The cases also underline the importance of verifying information shared by online contacts and remaining cautious about requests for money or access to financial accounts.
While dating applications and social-media platforms are widely used to meet new people, investigators say users should remain alert to the possibility that criminals may use such platforms to establish trust with potential victims.
– By John Murunga
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