An official source at the Public Prosecution said that the money fraud unit at the money prosecution has started an investigation with 11 suspects who allegedly formed a criminal organization to fraud citizens and residents from a house that they used to perpetrate their illegal actions. The suspects were apprehended pending investigation, especially that the crime entails apprehension as per a decision by the public prosecutor No. (1) on 1/1/1442 Hijri and as per Item (112) of the Penal Code. The investigation showed that the suspects had falsely pretended to be bank employees and sent random messages to the phones of their victims that bank services for their ATMs were deactivated and that the victims had to provide them with information and passwords to reactivate the services. Later on, the suspects accessed the bank accounts and withdrew money. Investigation procedures also revealed several messages between the suspects and their victims including the verification codes for accessing bank services and government services at Absher platform. The source highlighted the importance of social awareness regarding facts related to financial fraud through telecommunication means, stressing the importance of protecting personal data and refraining from sharing them but through accredited channels. The public prosecutor had previously endorsed a decision to establish a specialized unit to investigate financial fraud crimes out of the belief of the Public Prosecution in the dangers of such crimes on private money and the national economy.
