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OTP Scam Drains KD 37,000 from Elderly Kuwaiti Man’s Account

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KUWAIT CITY, April 13: An elderly Kuwaiti citizen lost his entire bank balance of KD 37,000 (approx. $120,000) after falling victim to a phone scam carried out by an unidentified fraudster or members of a criminal network. The scammer, posing as a detective, falsely claimed that hackers were attempting to access the man’s bank account and convinced him that urgent action was needed to prevent the theft.

Under this pretense, the 69-year-old victim, a resident of the Capital Governorate, was deceived into revealing sensitive bank details—including his card number, PIN, and a One-Time Password (OTP) sent to his mobile phone. These details were then used by the fraudster to completely drain the account. The exact method—whether by direct transfer or online purchase—remains under investigation.

According to a source familiar with the case, the scam began with a call from a local Kuwaiti number. The caller, pretending to be a detective, warned the victim of an imminent cyberattack and demanded banking details, falsely claiming it was to protect the funds. Shortly after sharing his information, the victim received a notification stating his account balance was reduced to KD 4.

The victim promptly reported the incident to the Public Prosecutor, who has since ordered an official investigation. A security source reiterated that local banks and Ministry of Interior officials never request personal or banking information over the phone and warned the public not to respond to such calls—whether through regular phone lines or messaging apps like WhatsApp.

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Woman Accused Of Witchcraft And Fraud Acquitted

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KUWAIT CITY, May 10: The Misdemeanor Appeals Court has overturned a previous conviction sentencing a woman to one year in prison with hard labor on charges of fraud and practicing witchcraft. The court instead acquitted her of all charges, citing insufficient evidence and flawed procedures.

The case stemmed from allegations by the Public Prosecution that the woman had defrauded multiple individuals by claiming to possess supernatural powers, including the ability to predict the future. She reportedly charged 300 Kuwaiti dinars per session and allegedly operated out of her private residence.

According to testimony from an officer with the Anti-Money Laundering Crimes Department, the investigation began following a tip-off from a confidential source. Acting on a prosecution warrant, detectives staged a sting operation using marked cash. After a session was conducted inside the defendant’s home and payment was exchanged, authorities raided the premises. During the search, items suspected of being used in sorcery were recovered, including a dried seahorse, paper talismans, bullets, incense, stones, herbs, and marked money.

In her defense, attorney Enaam Haidar argued that the search and arrest were procedurally invalid, the evidence lacked credibility, and the case was based on speculative accusations. She also emphasized her client’s consistent denial of the charges throughout the investigation. After reviewing the case, the Appeals Court concluded that the prosecution had failed to establish criminal intent or provide concrete proof of fraudulent activity, resulting in a full acquittal.

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Firefighters contain apartment blaze in Al-Raqi without major injuries

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Firefighters contain apartment blaze in Al-Raqi without major injuries

Firefighters work to extinguish a blaze at an apartment building in Al-Raqi on Friday morning.

KUWAIT CITY, May 10: Firefighters successfully brought a blaze under control at an apartment building in the Al-Raqi area on Friday morning, according to the Kuwait Fire Force.

Fire brigades from the Shuwaikh Industrial and Al-Ardiya fire stations responded to the scene, where they swiftly began operations to combat the fire and prevent its spread within the building.

Authorities confirmed that the incident did not result in any significant injuries.

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804 Traffic Violations, 21 Arrests: MOI Crackdown Hits Sabah Al-Salem

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KUWAIT CITY, May 9 : As part of ongoing efforts to apprehend law violators and uphold the law, the Ministry of Interior conducted a comprehensive security and traffic campaign in the suburb of Sabah Al-Salem on Thursday, May 8, 2025. The operation involved the participation of several departments, including the Traffic Affairs and Operations Sector (represented by the General Traffic Department), the General Department of Rescue Police, the Central General Department of Operations, the Public Security Sector, the Private Security Sector, and the Women’s Police.

The campaign led to the following outcomes:

  • Issuance of 804 various traffic violation citationsn
  • Arrest of 6 individuals for violating residency and labor lawsn
  • Arrest of 10 individuals wanted by the authoritiesn
  • Detention of 5 individuals without identification documentsn
  • Seizure of 6 vehicles wanted by the judiciaryn
  • Arrest of one individual found to be in an abnormal conditionn

The Ministry of Interior reaffirmed that such campaigns will continue across all regions of the country to ensure law enforcement and public safety. The ministry urged all residents to cooperate with security personnel and report any suspicious or illegal activities by calling the emergency number (112).

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