Scams, Fraud & Money Recovery
After a scam in Kuwait: report to MOI Cyber Crimes Department (CID) under Cybercrime Law 63/2015, claim a refund through your bank, and escalate to Central Bank of Kuwait Consumer Protection Unit.
Covered in this guide:
Kuwait's scam-recovery system runs across three institutions. The Cyber Crimes Department within the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ministry of Interior investigates cybercrime under Law No. 63 of 2015 on Combating Information Technology Crimes (effective 12 January 2016). Penalties include up to 10 years' imprisonment for certain offences (Article 7); up to 3 years and KD 3,000 fine for some defamation / insult offences. For the money side, the Central Bank of Kuwait (CBK) Consumer Protection Unit oversees bank handling of complaints. Telecom-side issues fall under CITRA (Communications and Information Technology Regulatory Authority).
Emergency: 112 (police).
Key Laws
Cybercrime Law (Law No. 63 of 2015)
Law 63/2015 — effective 12 January 2016
Kuwait's cybercrime statute. Article 7 up to 10 years for serious offences. Defamation / insult / religious-belief offences carry up to 3 years and KD 3,000 fines. Enforcement: MOI Cyber Crimes Department.
CITRA Resolution 26 of 2024 — Personal Data Protection Regulation
CITRA Resolution 26/2024 — effective 19 February 2024
Kuwait's first dedicated personal data protection law. Applies to CITRA-licensed service providers (banks, telcos, e-commerce, healthcare, government). Requires explicit consent, data-subject rights, 24-hour breach notification to CITRA. One-year compliance grace period from publication.
Kuwait Civil Code and Commercial Code (banking consumer rules)
Civil Code; Commercial Code; Central Bank of Kuwait Law (Law No. 32 of 1968 as amended)
Banking consumer-protection framework anchored in the Civil and Commercial Codes plus CBK Consumer Protection Unit rules. CBK supervises banks and handles consumer complaints against banks operating in Kuwait.
First 24 Hours After Being Scammed
Three jobs in parallel. Call your bank's fraud line. File the cybercrime complaint with MOI Cyber Crimes Department at CID. Preserve evidence.Emergency: 112.
Reporting Cybercrime to MOI Cyber Crimes Department
Kuwait's cybercrime investigator is the Cyber Crimes Department within the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ministry of Interior, under the Cybercrime Law 63/2015. The Law covers hackin...
Recovering Money From a Kuwaiti Bank via CBK Consumer Protection
Kuwait's money-recovery framework is two-step. Step 1: complaint to the bank. Step 2: escalation to CBK Consumer Protection Unit. CBK supervises banks under Law 32/1968 (as amended) and the CBK Consum...