SCORES of people become victims of fraud and theft incurred through the means of modern technology. The recent Sawa and Mobily balance scam that has troubled many expatriates from Pakistan is yet another example of the many troubles that technology can bring. “I received a call from a Pakistani number. The woman on the other side of the call claimed that she was calling from Sawa and said that I had won SR100,000 in a draw. She then asked for my personal information, saying that the cash prize could be collected from an Al-Rajhi Bank outlet. Next, she asked me to purchase three Sawa cards worth SR300 each and to provide her with the serial numbers of the cards in order to activate the lucky draw file. She said the sum total of SR900 would be redeemed with the prize amount,” said Shahid Yakoob, a Pakistani national in Jeddah. “Initially,” he continued, “I did not believe her, but I was convinced when she was able to give my IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) number correctly. I bought the cards and dialed the same number, with this time, a male voice answering my call. He said that they had different shifts and asked me to provide the serial numbers of the Sawa cards. When I did, he said that I gave him an incorrect number and insisted that I scratch the card and give the hidden number on it. I was shocked and disconnected the call.” The next day, Yakoob got calls from the same number. “On calling back, the woman that I had spoken to earlier answered and apologized saying that her colleague was not aware of the lottery file. She asked me to disclose the hidden number in order to activate the lottery file. Though she sounded professional, I knew there was something wrong. I visited Al-Rajhi bank to enquire about the lottery prize. On hearing what had happened, the bank manager said that it was all a hoax and that the bank never coordinates with third parties for any lucky draw competitions,” Yakoob said, adding that he was thankful to Allah for letting him make the right decision of choosing not to disclose the numbers. However, Afzal Mirza, a Pakistani national, was not as lucky. “I missed a call from a Telenor phone number from Pakistan. I called back thinking that my relatives back home had called. The number played a romantic Indian song as its caller tune. The woman, who answered the call, said that she was calling from Sawa and that I had won Rs. 50,000 in a lucky draw,” said Mirza, adding that he was surprised when the caller was able to correctly state his mobile set number. The woman asked him for his personal details, such as his Iqama number, passport number, etc., and asked him to purchase Sawa cards worth SR500, the numbers of which, she said, should be provided to her within half an hour, failing which the offer would be withdrawn. “Believing that everything was genuine, I bought the cards and disclosed the numbers to her. She said my file was now active and that I could redeem my cash prize from Al-Rajhi Bank,” Mirza said. “The next day,” he continued, “I checked with the bank, and to my horror, the staff said that they are not in partnership with Sawa or any other company in Pakistan. When I called back on the Telenor number, the call was initially rejected, and later, the cell phone was switched off.” Mirza said he could not recharge with the Sawa cards that he purchased, as every time he attempted to do so, he would get an error message, meaning the cards had already been used. Another Pakistani national, Syed Mujahid Ali Zaidi, has a similar story to tell, though he was luckier. “A woman called me from an unknown number and asked me if I could speak Urdu. When I informed that I speak only Sindhi, the call was transferred to a man who spoke Sindhi. He said that I won Rs. 100,000,0 in a Sawa contest and that the prize money could be redeemed from the bank of my choice. I knew it was a scam and, hence, disconnected the call,” said Zaidi. However, Noor-Ul-Deen, a salesman in a supermarket here, said he got a little too excited on receiving the ‘Sawa' call. “Because I work in a supermarket, I could immediately purchase Sawa cards worth SR600. I was shocked on being duped,” he said. Jamil Khan, press consul at the Pakistani Consulate in Jeddah, said that the Consulate has received numerous complaints regarding the Sawa/Mobily scam. “People who are greedy are easy game for fraudsters. It is a must to make inquiries about any such scheme prior to disclosing personal information. Scams take place all around the world,” he said. Khan added that he has written to the Pakistani government and other agencies so that the swindlers can be brought to justice. Scammers use dishonest means to deceive people and to win their trust, such as, the use of special devices to obtain the recipients' handset model number, sim number and IMEI number. The caller can be calling from anywhere in the world even if his number as shown on the mobile screen is local. Some Internet services allow their subscribers to receive or make calls by using any number. Fraudsters make use of such software to make or receive calls from an international number while they are, for example, in Saudi Arabia. It is, however, important to remember that one's personal or sensitive information should never be disclosed to an unknown caller. Companies will always publicaly announce their offers and competitions and calls are made through official numbers. “Customers are always publicaly notified about all our campaigns and promotional offers that are announced on STC's official website, hoardings and through text messages sent to Sawa and Al-Jawal users. For any queries, users can call 902,” said sources at the STC in Jeddah.
