GCC scam alert: fraudsters use stolen cards to pay bills at discount
GCC residents that have been offered a deep discount to settle a traffic fine, utility bill or legal charge may unwittingly be helping criminals cash out stolen money, according to a new investigation by cybersecurity firm Group-IB.
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GCC residents that have been offered a deep discount to settle a traffic fine, utility bill or legal charge may unwittingly be helping criminals cash out stolen money, according to a new investigation by cybersecurity firm Group-IB. The scheme takes place when fraudsters use details of stolen credit cards they possess to pay genuine government bills and fines on official portals. They offer to pay victims' bills or charges at 50 to 80 per cent off, then collect the discounted amount from the customer through cryptocurrency or local bank transfers. Because the payment goes straight to a trusted government body on behalf of a real person, bank monitoring systems rarely flag it as suspicious. Between October 2025 and August 2026, Group-IB’s Fraud Protection team detected about 300 related incidents across several major retail banks in the GCC. The UAE Cyber Security Council has previously warned that online fraud now exploits digital services. Group-IB urged the public to access government services only through official apps or bookmarked websites, not sponsored search results.
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Reported by: Khaleej Times 8 Oct 2026 Read the original ↗ More from Khaleej Times →
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Khaleej Times (UAE).
When was it announced?
8 Oct 2026.
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Read the original at Khaleej Times: https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/gcc-scam-alert-fraudsters-use-stolen-credit-cards-to-pay-bills-at-50-80-discount
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