Surge in scam calls targeting phones in Kuwait

KUWAIT CITY, April 13: There has been a surge in suspicious international phone calls received by Kuwaiti citizens and residents in recent days, confirming that these calls are part of an organized global cyber scam. According to informed security sources, these calls often consist of a single ring followed by an immediate disconnection, a tactic known internationally as the “Wangiri Scam,” meaning “one ring, then run.”

Scammers use automated calling systems to contact thousands of numbers worldwide. When the victim answers or calls back, the call is redirected to expensive international numbers. The scam takes several forms, including keeping the caller on hold through voice messages or automated transfers, resulting in exorbitant per-minute charges, sometimes reaching several dinars per minute, without the caller realizing it. Some of these calls aim to record the victim’s voice so it can be used later in other scams, such as obtaining voice approval for paid services or fake financial transactions.

Some fraudulent networks later send text messages containing fake links claiming to be related to mail shipments, account updates, or other information. Clicking on the link can lead to phone hacking or the theft of personal data. The sources revealed that most of these calls appear to originate from numbers in neighboring countries, but they often actually originate from island nations in the Pacifi c Ocean, African countries, and some Eastern European countries. They urged people not to answer calls from foreign numbers, especially if they do not have relatives in those areas. They advised ignoring calls that ring only once, not clicking on links from unknown numbers, and immediately blocking any suspicious numbers. The sources emphasized that some calls may seem ordinary, but they could be the beginning of an organized cyber fraud operation.