MUSCAT: The Royal Oman Police (ROP), represented by the Directorate-General of Inquiries and Criminal Investigations, said cyber fraud crimes in Oman surged by 50 per cent during the first half of 2025 compared to the same period of last year. This is due to the rapid development of technology, electronic payment systems, and the widespread use of digital platforms.
Brig Jamal bin Habib al Quraishi, Director-General of Inquiries and Criminal Investigation at ROP, said that the recent developments in technology and electronic payment systems facilitated daily life for individuals and communities but were associated with an increase in cybercrimes with fraudsters using advanced technologies, particularly methods based on artificial intelligence (AI) and deep fakes.
He added that the most common cybercriminal tactics is the fake commercial advertisements promoted through online marketplaces and online buying and selling platforms.
Victims are deceived by fake offers of products or services at prices significantly lower than the actual market prices. They are then lured into paying sums of money as a down payment or full price following which the advertiser vanishes.
Al Quraishi explained that one of the newest fraud methods detected by ROP is the use of deep fake technologies through certain video communication programmes. These technologies are used to impersonate government employees to persuade victims to disclose their personal and banking information which can then be exploited to steal their money.
He added that the Directorate-General of Inquiries and Criminal Investigations has also detected several recurring fraudulent methods, such as the promotion of fake advertisements on social media platforms that mimic real platforms offering domestic worker recruitment services at attractive prices. The police have also detected several fake advertisements for renting buildings, apartments and rest houses.
He pointed out that one of the most common methods used recently is the design of websites resembling official websites. These websites are uploaded to search engines, appearing at the top of the search engine list, lending them a sense of credibility. These websites then prompt victims to disclose their personal and banking information to complete their transactions. Upon payment of the required fees and the entering of an OTP number sent to the victims’ phones via text messages, the funds available in their bank accounts are immediately withdrawn.
This criminal tactic is usually associated with another tactic: fraud via job functions. Fraudsters operating outside the Sultanate of Oman create a network of bank accounts, which they later use to conceal funds obtained through fraudulent operations. These accounts are then promoted on social media for job offers such as financial adviser or financial agent. The victims are asked to open a bank account so they can perform their job duties, which include receiving funds and re-sending them to other bank accounts, withdrawing and transferring them via exchange offices, or entering them into the digital currency market to purchase currencies and transfer them to the fraudsters’ wallets. The bank account holder faces legal accountability for being involved in receiving and re-sending funds from unknown sources, he said.
He emphasised that the Directorate-General of Inquiries and Criminal Investigations is committed to efficiently implementing its responsibilities by tracking down fake websites designed to cheat victims and shutting them down immediately, in coordination with the relevant authorities. This is in addition to ongoing coordination with telecommunications companies and local banks to freeze bank accounts and block phone numbers used in fraudulent operations, which are often managed from outside the Sultanate of Oman.
Al Quraishi called on members of the public to exercise caution when dealing with online advertisements, avoid sharing banking or personal data with any untrusted party, activate two-factor authentication on electronic accounts, and refrain from using the primary bank card for online purchases and using dedicated cards with specific amounts instead.
He stressed the importance of not responding to suspicious calls claiming to be from government or banking institutions and requesting sensitive information, emphasising that these institutions do not ask their customers to provide such information over the phone or online.
He said it is important to notify the bank immediately in cased of being subjected to any fraud attempt, in order to freeze their accounts, adding that bankers should approach the nearest police station to file an official report, or call the toll-free number 80077444) of the Directorate-General of Inquiries and Criminal Investigations. — ONA
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