Government rejects calls for 48-hour hold on overseas money transfers amid anti-fraud push

TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

A 48-hour delay on money transfers abroad has been ruled out by the government, even as it gave its support to a proposal aimed at stepping up the fight against cyber fraud.

In a written reply to Parliament, the government said it agreed with the wider aim of shielding citizens and residents from online scams through stronger public awareness, closer work between state bodies, banks and telecom firms, and added layers of protection across the digital sphere.

It described public awareness as a key part of dealing with cyber fraud, which it said had grown more varied and harder to spot.

Awareness

The reply said awareness drives had already been carried out through websites, social media, television, radio and state platforms, in several languages, so the message could reach all parts of society.

These campaigns focused on explaining newer scam methods, how people can avoid being caught out, and how such crimes can be reported.

Officers from the General Directorate of Anti-Corruption and Economic and Electronic Security have also taken part in media programmes meant to spread what the government called a culture of digital caution.

It said work was also under way with academic bodies and research centres to build awareness plans based on sound data and newer digital tools, including advanced analysis, so messages reach the right groups more effectively.

Lectures and workshops have also been held for different sections of the public to help people spot cyber fraud and protect themselves.

Coordination

The government said the Ministry of Interior had joined coordination meetings with bodies including the Consumer Protection Directorate, commercial banks, financial audit firms and exchange companies to share expertise and study stronger joint action against cybercrime.

It added that a committee bringing together the Ministry of Interior, the Central Bank of Bahrain and the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority had been formed to draw up shared plans covering awareness, technical measures and regulation.

It also pointed to steps already taken in the telecoms field. Operators, it said, have been required to verify users’ identities before activating SIM cards through biometric checks such as fingerprints or facial recognition, in a move aimed at curbing forgery and impersonation.

System

The reply also referred to a unified system to tackle fraudulent calls reaching landlines, along with shared technical fixes between telecom firms to cut fake calls made to mobile phones from outside Bahrain.

In another move, the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority prepared a guidance paper laying down technical and regulatory rules to curb fraudulent text messages.