Experts warn of fake chalet ads and phishing scams amid holiday surge
The Ministry of Interior has warned against a rise in online fraud involving fake chalet rental ads requesting payments via fraudulent links, and several cybersecurity experts say this warning is timely and essential.
The alerts aim to raise public awareness about the dangers of interacting with such links, which tend to surge during public holidays and official vacations, reports Al-Rai daily.
Mohammed Al-Rashidi, head of the Cybersecurity Committee at the Electronic Media Union, emphasized that this recurring fraud often targets those looking to rent chalets, farms, or buy sacrificial animals.
He explained that fake websites appear prominently in search engine results, making it crucial for users to verify links and their sources.
Al-Rashidi also pointed out that scammers create fake Instagram accounts to lure victims. Once payments are received, these accounts are promptly deleted, leaving victims with no way to follow up. Some individuals, he added, only realize too late that their reservations were entirely fabricated.
Al-Rashidi advised using prepaid cards loaded with limited funds tailored to specific purposes. He also encouraged reporting suspicious activity or links directly to the Cybercrime Unit.
Cybersecurity and IT consultant Hussein Al-Nakas urged citizens to book only through trusted, well-known websites or apps that are licensed by the Ministry of Commerce.
He stressed the importance of ensuring that the renting party has a valid commercial registration and official legal address. According to Al-Nakas, one should never transfer money before receiving proof of reservation or a clear contract. He warned against falling for unrealistic offers or deep discounts, and recommended reading reviews and feedback from previous customers.
He also highlighted the importance of requesting photos of the property and verifying the location using the Kuwait Finder app or Google Maps.
Al-Nakas cautioned against sharing personal information or civil ID numbers with unverified sources. To protect oneself, he recommended keeping copies of all conversations and official receipts, and consulting authorities in case of any doubt or suspicious interaction.
Cybersecurity expert Abdulaziz Al-Mutairi praised the Ministry of Interior’s alert issued through the Sahel application, warning against phishing scams tied to chalet bookings. He explained that this type of fraud, known as “targeted phishing,” involves creating fake websites that mimic real ones to trick victims into making payments or disclosing personal banking information.
To stay safe, they recommended avoiding any transactions with unverified accounts, not relying solely on a civil ID photo as a trust signal, confirming that advertisers are officially licensed, using trusted brokers or platforms for booking, and reporting any suspicious links or behavior to the appropriate authorities.
