Rise In E-fraud In Kuwait And The Gulf

As a result of technological difficulties in proving the crime, Kuwaiti and Gulf countries are experiencing an increase in electronic fraud, which is exacerbated by lapses committed by targeted users through chat programs, social networking sites, messages, electronic games, and fake pages, reports Al-Qabas daily. In recent years, sophisticated fraud methods have spread, including falsifying the logos of companies or stores so that customers are trapped into purchasing, paying, and transferring money, all without the presence of real products or delivery components, targeting many people who use smart applications and websites for e-shopping and direct purchases.

A total of 350 cases of electronic fraud have been filed in the corridors of the Public Prosecution by individuals who were misled by calls made using Kuwaiti phone numbers via communication applications such as WhatsApp or IMO, or by sending links via text messages or by using government logos or names. As the head of Kuwait Society for Information Security, Dr. Safa'a Zaman revealed that Kuwait ranks fourth in the number of fraud cases registered in the Middle East and North Africa, and its residents are among the most likely to become victims.

Presented
A report titled “The Role of Financial Institutions in Reducing Information Crimes” prepared by the Naif Arab University for Security Sciences in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at the beginning of this year, according to Zaman. According to Interpol, five types of financial fraud crimes are the most common in the Arab world and 24 criminal methods are used to reach victims of them.

The study analyzed 503 fraudulent ads, topped by four methods in the areas of “investments, business email, romantic text message fraud, and the method of sexual extortion.” Regarding the fraud methods that were monitored at the local level, Zaman revealed that they are “diverse and evolved, with the development of the technical era, and increased with the popularity and spread of social networking programs, based on the richness of these programs with data and personal information, which facilitated infiltration operations in general, and fraud in particular.” Zaman said, “One of the most important requirements for financial fraud is the presence of adequate data and information about the victim, which is provided by social networking programs. Data and information placed in these programs are often overlooked by users, exposing them to theft and extortion by using social engineering methods.

The fraudster convinces the victim to download an application that enables him to control his device remotely through a new method that has spread recently. The fraudster gains complete control of the victim's device when he downloads the application and then transfers money and steals files and data without permission from the victim.” In order for individuals to avoid falling victim to scams and maximize their use of the current technological tools of the virtual world, Zaman provided a set of tips. She said, “Do not trust links or social networking accounts. Make sure no one tries to give you money easily and without hustle. Do not place sensitive data on the phone. Use a prepaid card to complete electronic purchases. Do not share credit data with anyone even if the merchant or representative asks you. Connecting to unreliable networks or entering your personal data into public devices is not recommended."

 

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