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Electronic fraud has become one of the most dangerous challenges facing digital societies in the modern era, with fraudsters exploiting every possible means in their greed for quick money and illicit profit.

With the expansion of electronic government services, the (Absher) platform has emerged as one of the most targeted platforms by unscrupulous individuals, who scour suspicious sites in search of their victims, skillfully weaving their tricks and putting poison in honey through links and messages that appear official, but contain dangerous digital traps.

Recently, the relevant authorities have detected the spread of fake links and cloned login pages claiming to be associated with the Absher platform or other official portals, luring users to enter their personal or banking information. This prompted the platform to issue urgent warnings urging beneficiaries not to engage with any messages from unknown sources and to always verify the authenticity of links before entering any sensitive information.

The platform confirmed that secure access to its services is exclusively through the official link (https://www.absher.sa), as well as the Ministry of Interior's website at (https://www.moi.gov.sa), and that any other link is considered a fraudulent attempt aimed at stealing users' data and exploiting it in suspicious operations.

Scams and Quick Profits

Security researcher and cybersecurity expert Mohammed Al-Suraihi believes that electronic fraud is one of the modern forms of scams aimed at seizing the money and property of others through illegal means, by exploiting the internet and suspicious links sent to mobile phones and computers. He points out that these methods can lead to the loss of bank balances with just a click of a button that the victim does not pay attention to.

Al-Suraihi adds that electronic fraud relies on achieving significant financial profits through specific and quick scams that involve multiple bank accounts, as gangs target small amounts but conduct a large number of consecutive transactions, moving money between multiple accounts before it ultimately settles in the accounts of the gang's leaders, who are often outside the country's borders.

Diverse Fraud Methods

Expert Al-Suraihi warned of the diversity of electronic fraud methods targeting various computers and mobile devices, by exploiting internet-connected programs and applications. He explained that fraudsters use malicious links that impersonate official pages, targeting email with messages containing links to contests or enticing prizes. Messages may also appear to be sent from a friend or an official entity, while in reality, they are phishing attempts asking the user for sensitive information. These messages may include claims of needing to change the password for the bank account, leading to its breach.

Mobile Devices at Risk

Al-Suraihi indicates that fraudulent messages are often crafted in a professional manner that makes them look identical to official messages, increasing the likelihood of user response and compliance, thus entering a new password that the fraudster can use later. He clarifies that one of the electronic fraud methods targets mobile devices, as installing hacked applications or clicking on unknown links can lead to breaches of personal data and theft of sensitive information such as passwords and bank card numbers. Some fraudsters impersonate a relative or friend to request a specific service, such as recharging a phone balance or obtaining personal information.

Al-Suraihi pointed out that computers, especially those belonging to companies and businessmen, are a primary target for fraudsters, as hackers breach devices through malicious software and links that disable them, then contact the victim to extort money in exchange for regaining access to their accounts or files.

He highlights the rapid growth of e-commerce, which fraudsters may exploit by creating fake and unverified websites, causing the victim to fall into the trap of electronic payment without verifying the site's credibility, only to later discover that they have been scammed and their banking data stolen.

How to Protect Your Account?

Al-Suraihi warned of the dangers of exploiting disasters and crises, as fraudsters launch fake donation campaigns under the pretext of helping the affected, prompting the victim to donate in good faith without verifying the receiving entity. They may provide their banking information in a moment of sympathy, allowing those funds to go to hostile entities or terrorist organizations. Al-Suraihi urged reliance on trusted official entities such as the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, which has accredited platforms that prevent the exploitation of disasters for illegal gains.

He provided a set of solutions to combat electronic fraud and enhance information security; among the most prominent is using legitimate versions of banking applications and well-known e-commerce applications, as downloading any application from unknown sources may expose personal data to theft and lead to electronic extortion. He emphasized the necessity for users to understand that banks do not request banking or credit card numbers via email.

Update Your Phones

Al-Suraihi stressed the importance of not ignoring updates for mobile operating systems, as they are concerned with enhancing device protection from various forms of hacking, in addition to the necessity of avoiding opening unknown source links or untrusted email messages. He also called for the use of antivirus programs on smartphones and computers to raise the level of protection, while ensuring the use of complex passwords that include letters, symbols, and numbers to guarantee the highest levels of security.

State Security Warns

The Presidency of State Security has warned of some financial fraud methods that fraudsters resort to in order to ensnare their victims; the most prominent of which is impersonating official officials or government entities to request banking account information under the pretext of depositing due financial amounts. Fraudulent methods also include impersonating well-known institutions and investment companies, offering fake investment opportunities that promise high profit rates to attract victims and convince them to transfer money.

The Presidency of State Security indicated that among the fraud methods are also the forgery of websites that appear similar to official sites to obtain user information illegally, in addition to fake messages impersonating well-known commercial companies, which are used to lure the victim into providing their personal or financial data, exposing them to the risk of theft and exploitation.

The Perpetrator is an Expert in Scams

Lawyer and legal consultant Majid Al-Ahmari believes that fraud and scam crimes are financial crimes that require the perpetrator to possess a certain degree of knowledge and expertise in deception methods, as the fraudster seeks to seize money in the possession of others with the intent of owning it without using coercion. Fraud and scam operations are carried out through multiple means; the most prominent of which is impersonating a false name or identity, misleading the victim with a false project or incident, or creating false hope of obtaining illusory profits.

He explained that the material element of the fraud crime includes the means of deception, the criminal result represented in the victim handing over their money to the perpetrator, in addition to the causal relationship linking the criminal activity and the result. The criminal activity also includes the means used by the perpetrator to achieve their goal, which is an act performed knowingly and with conscious intent, as there is no crime or punishment without a text.

He added that the moral element or criminal intent requires the presence of general intent, meaning the perpetrator's will to commit the criminal act with their knowledge of its elements, in addition to the specific intent represented in the intention to deprive another of their money permanently, and this intent is proven through the display of lies and fraud methods.

Hacking, Breaching, and Accessing

Al-Ahmari confirmed that perpetrators use direct and indirect methods to commit their crimes, with one of the most prominent indirect methods being "hacking" or electronic breaching, which is the unauthorized access to a network or computer device with the aim of spying on data, altering the system, or exploiting security vulnerabilities to damage the device or take control of it.

Al-Ahmari explained that Article 3 of the Anti-Cyber Crimes Law stipulates punishing anyone who commits cyber crimes with imprisonment for a period not exceeding one year and a fine not exceeding 500,000 Riyals, or one of these two penalties. These crimes include eavesdropping on what is sent over the information network or one of the computers without legal justification, intercepting it, or unauthorized access for the purpose of threatening or extorting, or entering a website to change its design, damage it, or modify it, in addition to invading privacy through the misuse of phones equipped with cameras.

He indicated that Article 5 of the law stipulates punishing anyone who unlawfully seizes movable property or a document or forges the signature of this document through fraud or by adopting a false name or impersonating a false identity with imprisonment for a period not exceeding three years and a fine not exceeding two million Riyals, or one of these two penalties. The punishment also includes anyone who unlawfully accesses banking or credit data or data related to the ownership of financial securities with the aim of obtaining data or money or services.

Al-Ahmari emphasized that Article 4 of the law stipulates the same penalty for anyone who unlawfully seizes movable property or a document or forges the signature of this document through fraud or impersonation of a false identity, as well as anyone who unlawfully accesses banking or credit data or data related to the ownership of financial securities with the aim of obtaining data or money or services.

Instigators Are Subject to Punishment

Lawyer Al-Ahmari pointed out that the punishment also includes anyone who incites others or assists them or agrees with them to commit any of the crimes stipulated in the law, if the crime occurs based on this incitement, assistance, or agreement, provided that the punishment does not exceed the maximum limit set for the crime. In the event that the original crime does not occur, the instigator or assistant is punished with no more than half the maximum limit of the penalty. Al-Ahmari advised anyone who falls victim to electronic fraud to report the incident immediately to recover rights and contribute to protecting others from falling into the traps of fraudsters, while contacting the bank to inform them of the fraud operation and request to stop the transfer, freeze it, and return it to the victim if possible.