‘Fraud continues unabated’

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Fraud is widespread in the world and has seldom stopped throughout history. However, it is more frequent in backward societies.

Fraud usually succeeds for two reasons, the naivety or ignorance of the swindled party and the greed of the swindler to achieve wealth, and the stories of the Al-Manakh (stock exchange market), Bernard Madoff, an American fraudster and financier and Al-Rayan of Egypt and dozens of other swindlers are the best evidence.

There are also other parties that collect money in the name of religion, and this is what we see prevalent among rich and religious peoples, such as the Gulf states and the United States, where they pay huge sums to institutions, churches, and religious associations in order to obtain the satisfaction of God and be rewarded in the hereafter, and feel psychological satisfaction in this world.

From time to time, and for many years I and others have been receiving strange requests to donate money to this or that party in order to be rewarded by God.

I noticed, time and time again, that these parties did not hesitate to announce their true identities, the names of those behind them and their phone numbers, unaware of the fact that they did not obtain a permit allowing them to collect donations, and the party could be an individual or a commercial company without fear of punishment or prosecution.

It became clear to me on more than one occasion that all those who promote these scams are from a certain category, perhaps because they are the most daring and knowledgeable about local laws, and the legal weaknesses in them, and the inability of the legislative institution to fill these gaps, therefore they continued the story and continue to exploit this matter is to laugh at citizens and residents, who usually do not care or doubt the intentions of those who ask for aid or money from them, because they believe that their role ends with paying charity and gaining the heavenly reward but what happens after that is not their business.

A recent example of new and somewhat advanced fraud methods is receiving a phone call from a landline or mobile phone, in which the caller presents the idea that the philanthropist will buy a number of the Qur’an copies from them at a symbolic price, bearing the name donor. The price also includes delivery service and other methods of fraud.

I contacted the two parties concerned with this type of exploitation and deception, the Consumer Protection Department in the Ministry of Commerce, which informed me that it had nothing to do with this type of activity, and the Ministry of Social Affairs, and one of the senior officials told me that the Ministry is legally unable to pursue these, and with confidence said they are suspicious bodies, and that they are taking advantage of this inaction, or find legal loopholes for their own benefit, and that they are in the process of following up the matter with the Fatwa and Legislation Department to plug these loopholes related to fundraising.

Until then, we have nothing but to warn the citizens and residents not to respond to such claims, and to limit their donations to institutions known for their good reputation and the transparency of their activities.

e-mail: [email protected]

Ahmad alsarraf

This news has been read 13290 times!