Avid online shoppers are being warned against purchasing products and services from unverified sources ahead of Eid Al Adha, as scammers are diversifying methods to con people.
General Directorate of Anti-Corruption and Economic and Electronic Security’s organised crime monitoring chief Major Fatima Al Dossary said that the authorities are expecting an increase in scamming activities and have urged people to be vigilant.
Eid Al Adha is expected to begin on the evening of June 6 and end on June 10.
“There has been an increase in the number of fake online ads, not just for products like abayas, but also services such as booking pools and holiday travel,” said Maj Al Dossary.
“These either take you to a fake website where they steal your bank details, or they talk to you on WhatsApp, take your money and disappear.
“It is crucial to not only research what it is you are buying, but also ensure it is a legitimate business.”
Maj Al Dossary stated that there will be a rise in travel scams in the next few weeks, not just because of Eid Al Adha, when Bahrainis like to travel, but also due to the approaching summer holidays.
Scammers are masquerading as travel agents, offering ‘the best deals’, only for victims to find out that their dream holiday was actually a nightmare scenario.
Last week, 10 individuals and families came forward, claiming that they were scammed out of nearly BD3,500, after falling prey to an elaborate travel scam that started with them being invited to take part in a draw at a popular shopping mall.
“There are many scammers offering travel packages for what seems a good price at first,” said Maj Al Dossary.
“They mostly end up taking your money and then disappearing without giving you the tickets.
“In some cases, however, they may give you a ‘travel booking’, and it is only when you arrive at the airport that victims realise they have been scammed.”
With rising temperatures, many people, especially families will look for ways to cool down with their children.
Booking swimming pools for the day is a popular past time among Bahrainis, especially during the Eid holidays.
Maj Al Dossary said that scammers are taking advantage of that knowledge, and are employing bait and switch tactics or just simply offering pools that do not exist.
“They either use photos that they take from the Internet or they give you the wrong location,” she said.
“They will tell you to pay the money in advance, usually in the form of a deposit, sometimes telling you that there are limited slots available.
“People in a rush to book something may end up giving them their money, and then on the day, they will go to the location and either find out there is no swimming pool, or that it does not look anything like in the advertisement.”
People looking to purchase livestock for Eid Al Adha sacrifice have also been warned against buying them from unverified social media platforms.
Fraudsters are running accounts on social media platforms, claiming that they have livestock for sale ‘at a good price’, only for the supply to never arrive.
“They will demand payment in advance, take the money and then disappear like they do in other scams,” said Maj Al Dossary.
“Only purchase livestock from verified and licensed sources within the kingdom.”
Similar warnings have been sent out to people looking to purchase clothes, especially abayas ahead of the holidays. These scams were popular ahead of the Eid Al Fitr holidays, and has made a return recently.
Fraudsters reportedly offer non-existent abayas at tempting prices, and instead take the money without delivering the product.
Maj Al Dossary explained how people can protect their money while shopping online, not only during Eid, but always.
“Look for signs and do research on the product and the advertisers,” she said. “Especially for abayas, if the price is too good, then it’s probably a scam.
“Look at their accounts and check for abnormalities, then find their commercial registration and look them up to see if they are on Sijilat.
“Finally, if possible, always pay on arrival when you get the product using secure payment methods. That way, you can protect your money.”
People who have fallen victim to scams are being urged to send a report by contacting the cybercrime hotline by calling 992.
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