KUWAIT CITY, Jan 14: The Director of the Information Security and Emergency Response Department at the Communications and Information Technology Regulatory Authority, Eng. Layali Abdullah Al Mansouri, has announced the implementation of a comprehensive strategy to combat electronic fraud via phones, particularly those employing phone numbers resembling local ones, reports Al-Anba daily. She said the objective is to integrate all operating companies in Kuwait into caller ID services to address the global threat of electronic impersonation, commonly known as “Caller ID spoofing.”

Having completed the testing phase, the regulations for this project are set to be officially launched this month, representing a crucial measure against the rising attempts to defraud citizens and residents through deceptive phone calls. Al Mansouri emphasized that the Authority has finalized procedures to identify local telecommunications companies on the network, as well as CITRA.

Calls originating from these companies will display the company name above the number, even if not registered on the customer’s phone, enhancing the trustworthiness of these numbers and thwarting impersonation attempts. In collaboration with the Central Bank of Kuwait, the Authority is actively taking steps to authenticate the identities of local and foreign banks, along with exchange companies operating in Kuwait. This initiative aims to block avenues for those attempting to impersonate financial institutions.

Additionally, the Authority is actively engaged in defining the identities of companies providing Internet services, a crucial segment serving a wide customer base. Al Mansouri outlined plans for the upcoming phase, involving the direct integration of all companies operating in the Kuwaiti market into the caller ID system, ensuring automatic identification of company numbers on the network. Priority in this integration will be given to companies involved in activities directly serving individual customers, particularly those providing financial services or services closely tied to financial transactions.

Al Mansouri underscored that this comprehensive integration of companies will serve as a safeguard against phone-based electronic impersonation, effectively closing the door to fraud in this context. As part of future initiatives, Al Mansouri revealed plans to launch a specialized caller identification service on the Authority’s website. This service will act as a gateway for companies and government agencies to undertake necessary measures for identifying their identity on the network, reinforcing the overall security and trustworthiness of communication channels.