KUWAIT CITY, July 16: Abdul Malek Uzir, a Bangladeshi expatriate, recently fell victim to a financial fraud scheme orchestrated by unknown individuals, losing a total of KD 1,015 within 20 minutes. Uzir recounted the incident to Arab Times, stating it began with a phone call requesting information to update his bank account, warning that his account would be closed if he did not comply.

Shortly after, he received SMS messages containing One-Time Passwords (OTPs). Another call followed, asking him to divulge the OTPs. Within minutes, his bank sent notifications of deductions amounting to KD 443.97, KD 443.97, KD 111.309, KD 8.750, KD 5.750, and KD 2.

Uzir expressed his distress, explaining that the money represented his savings accumulated over the years, as he had been planning to leave Kuwait after working there for 24 years. He appealed to the relevant authorities and the bank administration for assistance in recovering his funds. Uzir also highlighted the need for bank warnings to be translated into multiple languages to protect people of all nationalities, as he couldn’t understand the initial warning messages in Arabic. He admitted his mistake in responding to the phone call and disclosing the OTP, acknowledging that he had been deceived.

In other news, a timeshare company operating in Kuwait is defrauding Asian middle-class families through a deceptive scheme. The company, with a small office in Hawally and a main office in Kuwait City, initially distributes coupons in shopping mall parking lots, asking people to fill in their information. After a week or more, participants are contacted via phone call or WhatsApp and told they have won a raffle draw among 200 participants.

They are then invited to the office to collect their prize: a 5 KD voucher and a four-night stay in a five-star hotel. To claim the prize, participants must come as a couple, primarily targeting families from India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Pakistan.

Upon arrival, the company entices them with offers such as a 35-day package for stays in five-star hotels in 175 countries, a one-year gym package for couples, summer camps for kids, free dinner nights at five-star hotels, party arrangements, free tour guides, discounts, and free transportation in the host country, among other benefits. These packages range from KD 250 onwards. However, once participants pay, the company’s response slows dramatically, requiring numerous follow-ups to receive any promised benefits. Victims eventually realize they have been scammed.

This company previously executed similar schemes in Dubai and Qatar, earning millions before disappearing. In Qatar, 23 Indian nationals filed a complaint with the Indian Embassy, which documented the victims’ names in a letter to the Director General of Police in Telangana, India (No. DOH/CW/415/11/2023). The complaint names Adil Muhammad as the main accused, along with other staff members Vicky, Chirag, Sham, Hanah, Zaid, Priya, Joseph, Arafat, and Kiran. Sources indicate that this same company has relocated to Kuwait and is operating under a different name. This fraudulent operation poses a significant threat to the community, particularly targeting vulnerable middle-class families from South Asia. Arab Times and Al Seyassah have consistently reported on various scams targeting people, and this timeshare scheme is one of the latest frauds that people need to be aware of.

By Saeed Mahmoud Saleh
Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff