Arab man on trial in Bahrain over investment fraud scam

TDT | Manama                                                

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

The Bahrain High Criminal Court has begun proceedings against an Arab defendant accused of his involvement in a major investment fraud scam that saw nearly BD100,000 stolen from multiple victims.

The trial stems from several police reports filed regarding fraudulent calls received from women claiming to work for an investment company. The callers would convince victims of opportunities to earn returns without risk through a mobile application.

However, once victims downloaded the app and shared their banking details, money would mysteriously disappear from their accounts. Financial investigations estimated the total amount stolen in this way to be BD97,000. One victim, a pharmacist, recounted how she lost BD40,000 after being contacted by a caller and convinced to invest through the app.

She had herself transferred BD20,000, but a further BD20,000 was withdrawn without her knowledge or consent. Multiple other victims reported similar experiences, with amounts ranging from BD2,000 to BD22,000 drained from their bank accounts without authorization.