Scams, Fraud & Money Recovery
After a scam in Qatar: report to MOI Criminal Investigation Department via the Metrash2 app under Cybercrime Law 14/2014, claim a refund through your bank, and escalate to Qatar Central Bank Consumer Protection.
Covered in this guide:
Qatar's scam-recovery system runs through three institutions. The Ministry of Interior (MOI) Criminal Investigation Department (CID) investigates cybercrime under Law No. 14 of 2014 on Combating Cybercrime; complaints are filed through the Metrash2 app (the MOI's flagship citizen-services platform) or in person at the CID headquarters in Duhail, Doha. Article 8 is the main provision for privacy / image-based offences — up to 3 years' imprisonment and QR 100,000 fine for violations of social values or principles via information technology, including unauthorised publication of images. A 2025 amendment added Article 8 bis tightening penalties for unauthorised photography. For the money side, the Qatar Central Bank (QCB) Consumer Protection oversees bank handling — QCB Consumer Protection lines: 44456412 / 44456456. Qatar's primary consumer-protection statute is Law No. 8 of 2008 on Consumer Protection.
Emergency: 999 (police, fire, ambulance — unified).
Key Laws
Law No. 14 of 2014 on Combating Cybercrime
Law No. 14 of 2014; amended 2025 to add Article 8 bis on unauthorised photography
Qatar's cybercrime statute. Article 8 — up to 3 years' imprisonment and QR 100,000 fine for violating social values via electronic means, including unauthorised publication of images / videos / audio touching private or family life (even if true). Article 8 bis (2025 amendment) — additional penalties for unauthorised photography. Other Articles cover hacking, identity theft, fraud.
Law No. 13 of 2016 on Personal Data Privacy Protection (PDPPL)
Law 13/2016 — first Gulf data-protection law; effective 2017
Qatar was the first Gulf country to pass a national data-privacy law. Regulator: National Data Privacy Office (NDPO) under the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT). Active enforcement: NDPO has issued multiple compliance orders in 2024–2025 against ICT and e-commerce operators.
Law No. 8 of 2008 on Consumer Protection
Law 8/2008
Qatar's primary consumer-protection statute. Establishes consumer rights and complaint mechanisms; banking disputes are governed in parallel by QCB Consumer Protection rules.
First 24 Hours After Being Scammed
Three jobs run in parallel in the first day. Call your bank's fraud line immediately — block the account, freeze the wallet, start a recall on transfers in progress. File the cybercrime complaint via...
Reporting Cybercrime via Metrash2 and MOI CID
Qatar's cybercrime investigator is the MOI Criminal Investigation Department (CID), headquartered at Duhail, Doha. The primary digital channel is the Metrash2 app — Qatar's flagship MOI citizen-servic...
Recovering Money From a Qatari Bank via QCB Consumer Protection
Qatar's money-recovery framework is a two-step process. Step 1: complaint to the bank. Every Qatari licensed bank must operate a complaint mechanism under QCB Customer Protection rules. Step 2: escala...