Intensive efforts necessary to tackle bounced cheque trends

Intensive efforts necessary to tackle bounced cheque trends
Despite the efforts exerted by government authorities to combat financial crimes in the country, the number of cases falling under this category — whether related to bounced cheque offences, money laundering, or financial fraud — continues to rise.
According to data from the Public Prosecution, the number of bounced cheque cases reached 10,482 cases last year, while money laundering cases amounted to 193 cases, not to mention other cases related to financial fraud carried out through personal communications or via visual communication devices and social media platforms.
The total number of cases received by the Public Prosecution reached 55,164 cases during the past year 2025, recording an increase of 19% compared to 2024. This included an increase of 13.7% in felony cases and 19.6% in misdemeanour cases.
These cases were distributed as follows: 52,553 misdemeanour cases, 2,593 felony cases and 18 other cases including violations, administrative complaints, and incidental matters, with a completion rate of 98.4%.
These cases require strenuous efforts by the relevant authorities to follow up, investigate, and restore rights to their rightful owners, which in turn necessitates the availability of sufficient and competent personnel to complete them within the required timeframe.
The number of defendants registered in these cases during 2025 reached approximately 73,391, an increase of 24.7% compared to 2024. Males constituted 89.2% of defendants, juveniles 1.6%, and expatriates 47.5%.
Muscat Governorate continues to rank first in the number of such cases due to its population density and the presence of numerous commercial and industrial institutions.
This has also led to an increase in labour law violations in the governorate and others, with labour-related crimes reaching 22,309 cases during the past year.
The volume of bounced cheque crimes in Oman is among the most frequently recorded crimes in the country and continues to increase.
Naturally, the main reasons and causes behind the occurrence of these crimes are attributed to insufficient funds in the issuer’s account, which is the most common reason for cheque returns — namely, issuing a cheque without having sufficient balance in the issuer’s account. Such cases also occur due to the closure or freezing of accounts, where the cheque is returned because the account has been closed, frozen, or transferred, not solely due to insufficient funds. Some individuals misuse cheques as a form of guarantee.
For a long time, there has been legal debate over the use of cheques as security instruments or loan instruments rather than their primary function as a means of payment. This misuse often leads to numerous bounced cheque cases at the end of commercial relationships if obligations are not fulfilled.
This situation may also be attributed to a lack of financial awareness and planning, as many companies and individuals issue cheques without proper financial planning or without understanding the consequences of not having actual available funds, which contributes to the increase in cases.
The solution lies in strengthening awareness campaigns on these issues and emphasising the need for individuals to avoid issuing cheques without sufficient awareness and understanding of the penalties stipulated for such crimes, including financial fines, imprisonment for certain periods, and other forms of compensation.