Oman sees sharp rise in cyber fraud
Muscat: Fraud crimes in the Sultanate of Oman has surged by a staggering 35 percent during the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period last year, announced the Director General of Inquiries and Criminal Investigations.
Cyber fraud, in particular, presents a significant security challenge due to the rapid growth of digital platforms and e-commerce. This expansion creates opportunities for fraudsters to exploit technical vulnerabilities and a lack of security awareness among users. The rising statistics for these crimes underscore the urgent need for collaborative security and community efforts to enhance digital prevention and combat these illicit practices.
Brigadier Jamal bin Habib Al Quraishi, Director General of Inquiries and Criminal Investigations, detailed common fraudulent methods:
Deceptive Websites: Fraudsters design fake websites resembling official ones, which are then promoted to appear high in search engine results, lending them false credibility. Victims are lured into revealing banking information after completing bogus forms and paying fees. Once a One-Time Password (OTP) is entered, funds are immediately withdrawn and transferred through a network of fake accounts and digital currency platforms, quickly obscuring the crime's trail and moving money abroad.
Job-Based Scams: Fraudsters, often operating internationally, advertise fake job offers such as "financial advisor" or "financial agent." They then instruct targets to open bank accounts to receive and transfer money to other accounts, or to withdraw cash and transfer it via exchange services or digital currencies. Unwittingly, targets become involved in fraud and money laundering, facing legal accountability for handling funds from illicit sources.
Fraudulent Phone Calls: Impersonating official institutions, banks, or companies, fraudsters use phone calls to offer victims attractive rewards or services in exchange for sensitive data or verification codes. They may even possess accurate bank balances and personal data to build trust. Brigadier Al Quraishi stressed that official authorities never request such information over the phone, urging the public to ignore and immediately report such calls. The General Department of Criminal Investigation and Research has successfully apprehended perpetrators in several such cases and taken legal action.
Fake Package Delivery Messages: A similar tactic involves text or WhatsApp messages informing victims of a package delivery. These messages prompt victims to click a fake link to complete procedures and pay a delivery fee, allowing fraudsters to access their data and steal their money.
E-Shopping Fraud: Brigadier Al Quraishi noted a significant increase in e-shopping fraud reports, largely due to the high demand for online shopping, especially during holidays and promotional periods. Fake Instagram accounts are also used to promote domestic worker recruitment, where victims pay fees via fake links, leading to bank detail hijacking and theft.
Digital Currency Platform Exploitation: Digital currency trading platforms have become a prime target for fraudsters, leveraging users' inexperience. Victims are initially convinced to make small profits, then encouraged to deposit larger amounts, only for their funds to be withdrawn from their digital wallets, making retrieval impossible. Some platforms also receive funds from unknown sources linked to previous cybercrimes, which are then used to purchase and transfer digital currencies to other accounts.
Digital Exploitation of Children: Brigadier General Jamal Al Quraishi warned of rising digital exploitation of children through video games, particularly those with direct communication features. Fraudsters entice children to disclose personal family information or encourage in-app purchases. Cases of cyber extortion have also been observed, where perpetrators demand private photos from children, later using them for illicit gains. Families are urged to monitor children's online activity, educate them on how to react to fraud and extortion attempts, and report incidents.
Brigadier Jamal Al-Quraishi confirmed that the Royal Oman Police (ROP) continues to collaborate with international and regional security organizations to track, monitor, and apprehend perpetrators of these crimes. The ROP, in coordination with international agencies, successfully arrested an international organized crime network upon its entry into Oman. This network was involved in cyber fraud operations across several countries, luring Asian nationals to work in the Sultanate, confiscating their documents upon arrival, and training them to carry out online fraud, including creating fake social media accounts and romantic chat applications, and impersonating wealthy individuals to gain trust for investment in fake digital currency platforms.
Brigadier Jamal bin Habib Al Quraishi emphasised the critical importance of enhancing public security awareness to help individuals recognize danger and avoid falling victim to online fraud. This includes:
• Avoiding suspicious links.
• Never sharing personal or banking information without verifying the sender's credibility.
• Activating two-step verification.
• Using strong, unique passwords for online accounts.
• Allocating a separate bank card with a limited balance specifically for online shopping.
He reiterated that official institutions do not request personal information over the phone, advising the public to ignore and not interact with such attempts. Anyone who experiences fraud should immediately report it to their bank to block affected accounts, file an official report at the nearest police station, or contact the hotline (80077444). All correspondence and conversations with the fraudster should be retained as documentary evidence.
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