Kuwait cybersecurity expert urges anti-online scam drive

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KUWAIT CITY, July 5: Online fraud and scam methods are being professionally devised and developed by individuals, networks and suspicious groups, a thing that necessitates fast-track response through a national strategy, cautioned a Kuwaiti expert. Such constantly changing methods mainly embrace electronic fraud, fake links and accounts and use of ads in piracy as well as the use of celebrities’ accounts and images, Head of Kuwait Society for Information Security Dr. Safaa Zaman said in an interview to KUNA.

Stupendous technological progress and advancement, and reliance upon online shopping have made everyone subject to internet fraud schemes, she said, suggesting that a national strategy should be put in place in order to fight various types of scams and to promote cybersecurity nationwide. She mainly blamed online scams involving malicious software, email and instant messaging services on lack of public awareness, abuse of social media, easy access to data and dearth of legislation, accountability and oversight.

Internet fraud
The Kuwaiti cybersecurity expert cited the recent use by fake companies of celebrities’ images in stock-selling ads as being one of the most complicated and common methods of internet fraud. Dr. Zaman sounded the alarm that with the university graduation season starting, mediators are now inventing a fresh way of deceiving university graduates by offering them jobs in some sectors in return for nearly KD 500. In this context, she warned that the reluctance of some individuals and institutions to inform state bodies concerned against any electronic fraud has unfortunately added fuel to fire.

Asked what state bodies concerned should do to fight fake accounts that usually spread misinformation and rumors in the society, she suggested that penalties and fines should be imposed on any company involved in any wrongdoing in this regard.

She cited that the US and European countries have already taken such steps in order to put all false accounts and platforms at bay. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries should enact pieces of legislation aiming at combatting cybercrimes by means of incriminating anyone caught in malpractice on social media, particularly when it comes to their internal political affairs, she suggested. Furthermore, relevant national laws, including the anti-cyber crime act, need to be revised in a way that could bar users from making loopholes and innovative methods to run fake accounts and spread misinformation and fan out hatred with apparent impunity, the Kuwaiti expert urged. She concluded by calling for establishing a digital forensic center, boosting inter-agency cooperation in the cybersecurity space, hammering out relevant treaties and agreements with world institutions involved, and promoting investment in cybersecurity. (By Hanan Al-Saeedi – KUNA)

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