KUWAIT CITY, Aug 19: Online banking theft cases have taken a new turn with a scam involving the message: "Your bank card is disabled." A Bedoun fell victim to this scheme, losing his entire bank balance of 4,784 dinars within minutes.

The Public Prosecutor has classified the case as a felony and ordered an investigation. Detectives have been assigned to take the necessary steps to apprehend the perpetrator, who is likely part of a network specializing in online banking theft.

In the details of the case, titled "Online banking fraud," a 41-year-old victim reported to the Al-Sulaibiya Investigation Department that he received a text message from a local mobile number. The message stated: "Your bank card has been disabled; please call +**+." Believing the message, he called the provided number and reported a malfunction with his bank card. The caller requested his bank details to fix the issue, which he provided. Shortly after, he discovered that 4,784 dinars had been withdrawn from his account in nine separate transactions.

The victim stated that he did not authorize these transactions and concluded his statement by noting that he does not know who committed the theft. The case has been officially recorded.

A security source has reiterated the importance of not responding to calls from individuals or groups posing as bank employees requesting data updates. The Ministry of Interior and banks do not contact customers by phone to request bank details or update cards. Additionally, Kuwaitis and expats are advised to avoid unreliable websites and suspicious links, as these can allow scammers to access personal banking information.