12 Fraudsters Caught in Digital Payment App Scam

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune - www.newsofbahrain.com

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A network of 12 fraudsters, masquerading as employees of a digital payment app, has been caught transferring funds from unsuspecting victims after tricking them into revealing their confidential banking details. The suspects, all of Asian nationality, are now facing trial in the High Criminal Court for their elaborate scam, which involved cold-calling individuals and sending out false bank updates The Public Prosecution revealed the details on Wednesday.

Investigations found that the suspects randomly dialled phone numbers, pretending to be legitimate employees of the payment app. By urging victims to update their banking information, the fraudsters were able to obtain secret verification codes, which they then used to unlawfully transfer money.

The Anti-Economic Crime Directorate reported the case based on intelligence gathered by confidential sources at the General Directorate of Anti-Corruption and Economic and Electronic Security at the interior ministry.

Following the report, the Public Prosecution immediately launched its investigation, interviewing victims and interrogating the arrested suspects. The suspects were presented with evidence, including the contents of their mobile phones used to carry out the crime. Investigators uncovered communications between members of the network and links to outside support, including messages and fraudulent links impersonating both public and private institutions, further exposing the extent of the fraud.

Testimony from the investigating officer further strengthened the case, leading to the suspects being referred to the High Criminal Court, where they remain in custody awaiting trial.

In response to the incident, the Head of Cybercrime Prosecution has warned the public to exercise caution when receiving unsolicited calls, particularly from individuals claiming to represent banks or financial institutions. She stressed that legitimate organisations would never ask for sensitive banking information over the phone, emphasising the importance of protecting personal data to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands.