28-07-2025
Be aware of fake consumer protection authority calls
Two days ago, my dad informed me about a spooky incident that occurred to a very close relative. Basically, the relative received an engaging long phone call from a person impersonating an official from the Consumer Protection Authority (CPA).
Later, I learnt that a few more of the people I know have also received a similar phone call. My article today will shed light on how the incident plays out so as to share guidance on how one should handle such a situation.
At about 11:20 a.m. a phone call was made to our relative from an official-looking +968 prefix number. The caller spoke confidently in Arabic and also knew the name in full. The caller introduced themselves as an official from the Consumer Protection Authority and went on to provide details about a recent complaint that was logged at the Authority's office by the relative.
Upon confirming details of the logged complaint (and of course trusting the caller), an attempt to request the bank name, account number, etc., was made by the caller, stating that this information is required in order to refund payments requested by the relative. The relative received an SMS with an actual one-time password (OTP) from the bank.
The caller then urgently stated, 'Share the number received' with a pressing voice. Being vigilant and from an industry that practices due diligence, the relative hung up, called the bank on the back of her card, and learnt it was all a scam. This, however, was not the case with a few others I know who were scammed and lost their money as an unfortunate result.
Scammers impersonating Oman's Consumer Protection Authority (CPA), banks, and even the Royal Oman Police (ROP) are escalating their game. In 2024, the CPA and ROP's e-crime unit recorded a significant surge in impersonation and phishing calls, with victims losing thousands of rials.
A large percentage of these frauds involved victims unknowingly sharing OTPs or card details over the phone, exactly what banks and regulators repeatedly warn never to do.
These scams work because of a dangerous mix of psychology and technology. People instinctively comply when someone claims to be from a government body. Scammers often have partial information like your name or phone number, which makes them sound even more convincing.
Adding to the illusion, they use number spoofing to make the call appear to come from a local or official-looking number. One needs to be aware that no legitimate authority or bank will ever ask for your OTP, full card details, or CVV over the phone, or even an email or other form of communication such as social media/networks or an instant messaging application (such as WhatsApp or FB Messenger) per se.
The safest response is to simply hang up, and even better, report it to ensure others don't get scammed.
Our close relative was almost scammed. Luckily (alhamdulillah), she didn't lose a single rial because she paused, verified, and refused to share her OTP (one-time password). I am aware of a number of people who were taken for a ride with similar scams, unfortunately. These scammers continue to find sinister ways to evolve and scam vulnerable people.
The best way to fight back is to talk about these scams and report them (as I had illustrated in my previous articles). If this article opened your eyes, share it with your family and friends, as it could save them from losing their financial savings. The more we talk about these scams, the less power fraudsters have over our community. As it's known, sharing is caring. Until we catch up again next week, keep your eyes and mind wide open.
