First 24 Hours After Being Scammed — Saudi Arabia
Sourced from Saudi royal decrees, regulations, and ministerial decisions. Written in plain language for general understanding — this is educational content, not legal advice. Our editorial standards
What is this right?
Three jobs run in parallel in the first day. Call your bank's fraud line immediately — block the account, freeze the wallet, and start a recall on any transfers in progress. The SAMA Consumer Protection Principles require every licensed bank to operate a clear complaint mechanism; the initial bank response standard is 5 business days. File the criminal cybercrime complaint via Absher, my.gov.sa, or the Kolonna Amn app — the report triggers Public Security Department + Public Prosecution review under the Anti-Cyber Crime Law 2007. Preserve every piece of evidence — screenshots, WhatsApp / SMS threads, transaction SMS, voice notes — because the bank investigation, the criminal case, and any SAMA escalation all turn on documentary proof.
Emergency: 911. For labour-related scams affecting expatriate workers, the HRSD hotline 19911 is multilingual (Arabic / English / Hindi / Urdu / Malayalam / Bengali).
When does it apply?
- An unauthorised debit / credit card transaction, ATM withdrawal, or online-banking transaction on your Saudi bank account.
- You were tricked into authorising a transfer (impersonation caller — fake bank, fake Absher staff, fake delivery / customs charge).
- An OTP, ATM PIN, or m-banking login was disclosed to a caller who turned out not to be from the bank.
- An online sale on a Saudi marketplace failed to deliver after payment.
- An investment scheme, crypto platform, or 'guaranteed return' offer stopped paying or refused withdrawal.
- SIM-swap fraud — your number was ported without your consent and used to take over accounts.
- Sextortion or non-consensual intimate imagery — see also the Data Privacy & Digital Rights category.
What to Do in the First Day After Being Scammed
- Call your bank's fraud line. Use the number printed on the card or in the official banking app — never one from a suspicious message. Ask for the account to be blocked, the wallet frozen, and for transfers in progress, a recall. Demand a written reference number.
- File the cybercrime report online. Three equivalent channels: (a) Absher portal — log in, open Cybercrime Report service; (b) my.gov.sa — National Platform Cyber Crime Reports service; (c) Kolonna Amn app ("We are all security") from the Public Security Department — includes harassment, human trafficking, and cybercrime reporting. The report triggers Public Security Department + Public Prosecution review under the Anti-Cyber Crime Law 2007.
- For labour / worker scams affecting expatriates, call HRSD on 19911. The hotline is multilingual (Arabic, English, Hindi, Urdu, Malayalam, Bengali) and routes labour-related complaints to the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development.
- Preserve evidence. Screenshots of WhatsApp / SMS / Snapchat / X / Instagram messages, bank transaction SMS, voice recordings, fake-website URLs. Save to cloud immediately — phones can be seized as part of the cybercrime investigation; you want copies that survive.
- Change passwords on every account using the same email or password. Switch to authenticator-app 2FA — SMS 2FA is defeated by SIM-swap fraud, a known KSA-targeted pattern.
- Write a one-page timeline. Bank reference number, cybercrime complaint number, HRSD reference (if filed), exact dates and times. This is the spine of any SAMA escalation later.
What should you NOT do?
- Don't share OTP, ATM PIN, or m-banking login with anyone — including someone claiming to be from your bank, SAMA, Absher, or the Public Prosecution. No Saudi bank or government agency will ever ask for an OTP. Voluntary disclosure can be treated as consumer negligence by the bank investigation and weaken your refund claim.
- Don't pay 'recovery agents' charging an upfront fee. SAMA and Public Security repeatedly warn that recovery scams are themselves common KSA-targeted scams. All meaningful routes (bank, SAMA, Public Prosecution) are free.
- Don't delete the WhatsApp thread, call log, or fraudulent SMS. The bank investigation, the criminal case, and any SAMA escalation all turn on documentary proof.
- Don't post detailed scam facts on Saudi social media before the official reports are filed. The Anti-Cyber Crime Law 2007 covers public commentary that names individuals or harms reputation (defamation: up to 1 year and SAR 500,000 fine) — keep facts in official channels first.
Common Questions
Which channel is fastest for cybercrime reporting?
All three official channels (Absher Cybercrime Report, my.gov.sa Cyber Crime Reports service, Kolonna Amn app) feed the same Public Security Department + Public Prosecution review pipeline. Absher is the most widely-used because most Saudi residents already have an Absher account. The Kolonna Amn app adds parallel reporting for harassment and human-trafficking cases. All are free.
Will the bank refund an unauthorised transaction?
SAMA's Banking Consumer Protection Principles require banks to investigate complaints without delay and to operate a clear complaint mechanism. For genuinely unauthorised transactions where the consumer can show the transaction was not authorised, banks typically reimburse. Standard initial bank response is 5 business days. For authorised-but-induced transfers (you were tricked into authorising), recovery depends on bank discretion and SAMA's view on the facts.
Is the HRSD 19911 hotline really multilingual?
Yes. The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development operates the 19911 hotline in Arabic, English, Hindi, Urdu, Malayalam, and Bengali — six languages explicitly chosen to support Saudi Arabia's large expatriate workforce. The hotline routes labour-related complaints (including wage theft, contract disputes, scams targeting workers) into the HRSD complaint resolution system.
What is the maximum penalty under the Anti-Cyber Crime Law?
For unauthorised access + blackmail / coercion (Article 4): up to 5 years' imprisonment and a fine up to SAR 3,000,000. For defamation and harm via IT devices (Article 3): up to 1 year and a fine up to SAR 500,000. More serious offences (terrorism financing, attacks on national systems) carry higher penalties under separate statutes (Anti-Terrorism Law).
When does it apply — first 24 hours after being scammed?
An unauthorised debit / credit card transaction, ATM withdrawal, or online-banking transaction on your Saudi bank account.You were tricked into authorising a transfer (impersonation caller — fake bank, fake Absher staff, fake delivery / customs charge).An OTP, ATM PIN, or m-banking login was disclosed to a caller who turned out not to be from the bank.An online sale on a Saudi marketplace failed to deliver after payment.An investment scheme, crypto platform, or 'guaranteed return' offer stopped paying or refused withdrawal.SIM-swap fraud — your number was ported without your consent and used t...
What should I do immediately after being scammed in Saudi Arabia?
Call your bank's fraud line. Use the number printed on the card or in the official banking app — never one from a suspicious message. Ask for the account to be blocked, the wallet frozen, and for transfers in progress, a recall. Demand a written reference number.File the cybercrime report online. Three equivalent channels: (a) Absher portal — log in, open Cybercrime Report service; (b) my.gov.sa — National Platform Cyber Crime Reports service; (c) Kolonna Amn app ("We are all security") from the Public Security Department — includes harassment, human trafficking, and cybercrime reporting. The...
What should you NOT do — first 24 hours after being scammed?
Don't share OTP, ATM PIN, or m-banking login with anyone — including someone claiming to be from your bank, SAMA, Absher, or the Public Prosecution. No Saudi bank or government agency will ever ask for an OTP. Voluntary disclosure can be treated as consumer negligence by the bank investigation and weaken your refund claim.Don't pay 'recovery agents' charging an upfront fee. SAMA and Public Security repeatedly warn that recovery scams are themselves common KSA-targeted scams. All meaningful routes (bank, SAMA, Public Prosecution) are free.Don't delete the WhatsApp thread, call log, or fraudulen...