A devastating scam has left Lucia Nyamayaro, a small-scale poultry farmer, counting her losses after being duped into handing over 250 dressed chickens worth US$1,500 to fraudsters. The chickens, which were advertised on Facebook, were stolen by scammers posing as representatives of a Harare butchery using a fake cash bundle a single US$20 note wrapped in worthless Zimbabwean dollars. When police closed in, the suspects abandoned the birds in Harare, where they spoiled. Desperate, Nyamayaro was forced to sell them as dog food for a mere US$0.50 each, recovering just US$145 of her losses.

The scam, which occurred on October 28, 2025, at Strathaven shops, has highlighted the vulnerabilities faced by Zimbabwe’s rural producers in an economy riddled with fraud. Nyamayaro filed a police report (RRB 6484751) at Avondale Police Station and is urging the public to contact her at 0772972380  if they recognize the suspects, who used numbers 0787 393 755 and 0788 682 398, and a Toyota Hilux (AFT 7625).

The incident underscores broader challenges in Zimbabwe’s poultry sector, where small-scale farmers making up 75% of producers grapple with high input costs, shrinking markets, and weak bargaining power. “This is a double blow,” Nyamayaro lamented. “Not only did they steal my livelihood, but the system failed to protect me.”

The Zimbabwe Free Range Poultry Association has urged farmers to verify payments, use digital transactions, and join cooperatives to mitigate risks. “Trust isn’t enough. Vigilance is survival,” said an industry expert.

Authorities have yet to make arrests, but Nyamayaro’s story serves as a stark warning to others. “We need accountability,” she added. “No one should suffer like this.”

The police investigation is ongoing. The public is encouraged to assist.

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