Asian man cons Bahraini out of BD3,000 in phone scam, loses appeal

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

The High Appeals Court has upheld the imprisonment term issued against an Asian man implicated in scamming a Bahraini man and conning him out of BD3,000. According to court files, the victim received a phone call from a landline number, and the Asian man posed as a bank employee as he requested his ATM card details, citing update purposes.

“I received a call and the one on the line told me that he was a bank employee and he needed my ATM card details in order to update his database. I gave him everything, shortly after which I received an SMS indicating that BD3,000 was withdrawn from my account,” the Bahraini victim said. “I immediately contacted the bank and I requested them to suspend my account,” he added.

Investigations discovered that the defendant was behind the crime. He reportedly transferred the money to a man residing outside Bahrain, and he, in return, sent the money back to his account. Police arrested him and questioned him but he denied involvement in this scam. The defendant was earlier sentenced to five years in prison, followed by immediate deportation.