CITRA handles 156 fraud reports linked to suspicious messages, calls, links in July
The Communications and Information Technology Regulatory Authority (CITRA) dealt with 156 reports of fraud and scams involving suspicious messages, links and phone calls during July, marking a 122.8 percent increase compared to the previous month.
The authority received 86 more reports in July compared with June, when the number of cases stood at 70, according to communications statistics.
Reports involving websites ranked first with 54 cases, recording a monthly increase of 38.4 percent. Fraud reports through phone calls reached 52 cases, representing a sharp rise of 1,200 percent.
Meanwhile, reports linked to social media platforms reached 24 cases, up 20 percent, while WhatsApp-related reports totaled 26 cases, increasing by 333 percent.
CITRA urged users to immediately report any suspicious messages, links or calls and warned against sharing personal, banking or sensitive information with unknown parties.
The authority emphasized the importance of verifying the identity of individuals or organizations requesting confidential data to prevent fraud and electronic scams.
CITRA also reported receiving 1,149 complaints during the first quarter, including cases under processing, awaiting service provider responses, under review and investigation.
During the second quarter, the authority received 2,623 complaints, with the majority under processing, while others were referred for follow-up, investigation or cancellation according to procedures.
