The Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) has issued a critical warning to the public regarding a concerning surge in online impersonation.

The agency strongly advised individuals to avoid any engagement with fraudulent social media accounts that falsely claim to represent the official placement body.

The alert is particularly timely given the high anxiety among students and parents regarding university and college placements, making them more susceptible targets for misinformation and scams.

On Monday, Dr. Mercy Wahome, the Chief Executive Officer of KUCCPS, released a public notice explicitly disowning a Facebook page operating under the deceptive title "KUCCPS News." Dr. Wahome unequivocally stated that this particular page has no affiliation whatsoever with the legitimate placement service.

The agency's message read, "Anyone engaging with the Facebook page and similar social media platforms, or the persons operating them, does so at their own risk. KUCCPS does not take responsibility for any information posted on these platforms." This underscores the potential financial and personal risks associated with interacting with unverified sources.

KUCCPS expressed profound concern over the escalating misuse of its identity across various social media channels. The agency highlighted that such actions are not merely misleading to the general public but also constitute outright illegal activities.

To this end, KUCCPS emphasized that its official name and distinctive acronym are legally safeguarded intellectual property. Any unauthorized utilization of these protected identifiers could, and likely will, result in severe legal action against the perpetrators.

A pivotal part of the official notice elaborated on this point, stating, "The acronym KUCCPS is a core component of the identity and intellectual property of the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service. Its unauthorized use is not only deceptive to the public but also constitutes a violation of the law." This legal stance aims to deter future fraudulent activities and protect the integrity of the placement process.

To safeguard Kenyans from falling victim to these pervasive scams, KUCCPS has urged heightened vigilance. The agency's advice includes meticulously verifying all information by exclusively consulting its official website and its authenticated social media accounts.

Furthermore, for those who may have already been deceived or defrauded by fake platforms impersonating KUCCPS, the agency strongly recommended that they immediately report such incidents to the police