20,000 Kuwaitis And Expats Lost Kd 50m Due To E-theft In The Last 15 Months

According to Al-Qabas daily quoting a reliable security source, about KD50 million was lost in electronic robbery crimes in the last 15 months - KD38 million in 2022 and KD12 million since the beginning of 2023. According to the source, about 20,000 citizens and expatriates have been victims of cybercrime gangs over the past 15 months, most of whom are elderly and lack technological experience.

Informational and technological awareness is crucial to preventing falling victim to cyber robbery gangs, which have become a threat to the security of individuals and institutions. Cybercrime Department faces a major challenge in raising awareness about privacy protection, especially with the spread of artificial intelligence applications. By disrupting digital systems or stealing data from public and private institutions, cybercrime aims to harm electronic infrastructure. He said people’s data can be obtained easily now due to the presence of social networking sites. He underscored the importance of strengthening cybersecurity in government and private institutions, unifying efforts, raising public awareness, and developing information security techniques and systems to address cybercrimes and raise safety indicators in various fields and levels.

The source confirmed that the majority of cybercrime victims are elderly, as this age group has no sufficient experience with technology to confront the professional methods used globally in electronic fraud, especially since WhatsApp messages and anonymous calls are the most common means for fraudsters to seize the funds of this category.

The source also warned about the danger of downloading applications, which give remote access to smart phones without knowing how to use them, as misusing them enables anyone to have full access to the content of the mobile phone remotely.

Consequently, the Ministry of Interior warned citizens and expatriates about fraudulent operations that surfaced recently; carried out by some weak-minded people from outside Kuwait who impersonate police officers while using telephone numbers and electronic communication apps.

In a press statement, the ministry advised the public to be wary of such gangs; reiterating that no official authority in the country — whether banks or security agencies — requires citizens or expatriates to provide bank data, which should not be disclosed to anyone. The source also warned of fraud and swindling by impersonating K-Net Company, and the need to verify each link before paying, as well as distinguish between a reliable link and a fake one.

 

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