NEW techniques are being employed by fraudsters to trick people in Bahrain out of their money faster than anyone can catch them, said online security experts.
As the use of smartphone grows, it is also paving the way for an increasing number of mobile phone scams which can cost the victims anywhere from a few dinars to whole life’s savings.
Cyber con artists now use methods that make it very difficult to track stolen money, by transferring it from bank account to bank account, and finally remitting it overseas.
According to Interior Ministry’s anti-economic crimes directorate’s financial crimes division director Major Mohammed Al Abdulla, the most popular method is through phone calls, with the scammers usually executing the theft within minutes.
Maj Al Abdulla explained how to avoid falling for such tricks on the ministry’s Amn (security in Arabic) podcast, and broke down the dangers that clever crooks pose to unsuspecting people.
“The most common scam happens via phone calls, or WhatsApp,” he said.
“The scammer usually claims to represent a bank, and tells the victim that he/she has won a huge cash prize worth, say, BD20,000.
“Unsuspecting victims then share their one-time passwords (OTP) with the scammer.
“The fraudsters may also send a hyperlink and get victims to fill out a form with all the personal information they need to gain access to their BenefitPay or bank accounts.
“Once scammers log in, they lock the victim out of their account, and go on to transfer money to accounts overseas.”
OTP, a one-time PIN or password is valid for only one log-in session or transaction on any digital device. Once the four digits are shared, the scammers have access to personal information and digital wallets.
Maj Al Abdulla said that the scammer may transfer the money through several accounts until eventually wiring the money abroad, making it increasingly hard for police to trace.
Sometimes, they also transfer the stolen money in the form of call credit, buy gift cards, or convert it into a digital currency.
The official said once people realise they have been conned, they should immediately get in touch with their bank or credit card provider to freeze their accounts.
“The bank then reaches out to the Interior Ministry where the money is traced and returned to its rightful owner, if caught in time.
“If the money has already left Bahrain, then the recovery process is slow since we have to then correspond with relevant authorities in other countries.”
He also pointed out that cyber crooks study local rules and regulations to find ways to exploit them and get away with theft.
“When we caution people about a scam method, a newer one arises a few days later,” said Maj Al Abdulla.
The podcast can be viewed on the ministry’s social media accounts.
Victims are encouraged to report cases via the ministry’s 24-hour hotline, 992, visit the nearest police station or email at aecd@interior.gov.bh
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