Politics

Expat Refuses To Fall For Passport Officer Impersonation Scam

Published

2 months ago

May 21, 2025

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KUWAIT CITY, May 20: An expatriate in Kuwait narrowly avoided falling victim to a sophisticated phone scam on Tuesday morning. At around 10 a.m., he received a call from a number beginning with 3455. The caller claimed to be a passport officer and requested his date of birth, Civil ID number, and the names of the banks he deals with. Believing the caller represented the Ministry of Interior, the expat initially complied.

The caller then proceeded to list the first four digits of the expat’s bank card and asked him to complete the remaining numbers. At that moment, the expat recalled similar scams he had read about in the Arab Times news and refused to continue. He told the caller that any further communication should come through an official summons—either from a police station or via the “Sahel” government platform—before ending the call.

Shortly after, he received another call from a number beginning with 3456. This time, the caller claimed to be a higher-ranking officer and reprimanded the expat for not cooperating. When the expat again refused to share more information, the caller threatened him with a KD 500 fine. The expat stood firm, stating he would rather pay the fine than risk handing over sensitive bank details, and ended the call.

When later asked if he had been fined, the expat confirmed that no penalty had been issued.

A security source confirmed that this was a clear case of attempted fraud, using tactics often employed by scammers targeting expats online. He clarified that the numbers used do not exist within Kuwait’s official telecom network. The Ministry of Interior, he emphasized, never requests bank information from citizens or residents over the phone, and any banking updates should only be handled in person at one’s bank branch. He urged the public to ignore and report such calls.

Related Topics:Expat Fall Impersonation Officer Passport refuses Scam

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Six Fire Teams Battle Kabd Warehouse Inferno

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14 hours ago

July 22, 2025

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KUWAIT CITY, July 22: Six firefighting teams swiftly responded to a massive blaze that broke out at a warehouse on a farm in the Kabd area Tuesday afternoon. Thanks to their coordinated efforts, the fire was brought under control and fully contained, preventing further spread and damage. Authorities confirmed that no major injuries were reported in the incident.

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Expat In His Forties Found Hanging In Hawally Building

Published

15 hours ago

July 22, 2025

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KUWAIT CITY, July 23: An expatriate man in his forties was found dead on Monday morning in what appears to be a case of suicide by hanging in a residential building in the Hawally area.

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Politics

Kuwait court frees Kuwaiti man peddling in arms

Published

20 hours ago

July 22, 2025

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KUWAIT CITY, July 22: The Criminal Court, headed by Counselor Nasser Al-Badr, released on bail of KD500 a citizen — one of 13 individuals under trial for trafficking in unlicensed firearms and ammunition, in addition to money laundering. The hearing was postponed until Sept 15 to summon the incident officer. Attorney Dhari Al-Tararwa, who appeared in court on behalf of the citizen, presented comprehensive legal arguments. He requested his client’s release, asserting that there are no justifications for the pretrial detention and that there is no danger in releasing the accused. The court granted the request.

The Public Prosecution charged the defendants with possession of various firearms, like pistols and Kalashnikov machine guns, and unlicensed ammunition for trafficking, as well as money laundering, in which the money involved is estimated at thousands of Kuwaiti dinars proven to have been obtained through illegal activities. Case files indicate that the defendants’ roles varied, some were involved in the possession and trafficking of firearms, while others assisted and participated in the agreement and planning. The case documents include details regarding communications, weapons distribution, and methods of transferring funds.

By Jaber Al-Hamoud
Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff