Uganda Police Force says it has broken up multiple cyber fraud networks that used fake TikTok and WhatsApp accounts to impersonate prominent public figures such as chiefly Ms. Natasha Museveni Karugire in order to swindle people seeking financial help.
According to a statement from police spokesperson ACP Kituuma Rusoke, the fraudsters built fake social media profiles using photos and identities of well known individuals, then used them to contact people seeking financial assistance, jobs, scholarships or similar opportunities.
Victims were asked to pay registration fees or processing charges upfront before any promised help was delivered money that, in most cases, never resulted in actual assistance.
Police said the crackdown began in February 2026, when four suspects Isabirye Ashiraf, Mulondo Rahman, Kakaire Zubair and Egesa Sharif were arrested in Iganga Municipality for running one such scheme under Karugire’s name. Investigators recovered multiple phones and SIM cards used in the operation.
A follow-up operation on July 2, conducted jointly by police and Defence Intelligence and Security personnel in Iganga District, led to the arrest of six more suspects several of them minors, aged between 15 and 21 after intelligence pointed to a gang impersonating both President Museveni and Karugire.
Police describe Iganga as an emerging hotspot for this type of fraud, noting a repeated pattern of scams built around impersonating high-profile figures to exploit people looking for financial help.
The force is urging the public not to send money to anyone on social media requesting upfront payments in exchange for financial assistance, jobs or scholarships, and to verify any such offers through official channels before responding.
Anyone encountering suspicious impersonation accounts is asked to report them to the nearest police station.
