48-hour delay on bank transfers approved to fight online scams

TDT | Manama

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Banks could be made to hold off on processing international money transfers for 48 hours under a proposal approved by Parliament yesterday, as MPs step up efforts to curb online scams.

The plan also calls for telecom firms to block fraudulent messages before they reach users and urges a more research-based approach to understanding cybercrime.

MP Hassan Ibrahim, who put forward the proposal, said a growing number of citizens and expats were being caught out by online fraud, making stronger preventive steps essential.

He called for government agencies to ramp up awareness campaigns through television and social media, urging people to be wary of suspect links and unsolicited calls from both local and international numbers.

“Fraudsters are always coming up with new tricks to get their hands on people’s money,” he said. “We need to stay ahead of them by keeping the public informed and making sure banks and authorities are taking every possible step to keep accounts safe.”

He pointed out that scammers were now using different methods to drain funds from accounts, making it crucial for banks to step up security.

He suggested lenders should issue alerts before approving transactions and consider ways to claw back stolen money.

He also questioned whether tighter controls were needed over withdrawals, noting that many scams do not involve ATMs but other channels that may reMP Hassan Ibrahim quire stronger checks.