A case of forgery and fraud has been referred to the Commercial Affairs Prosecution after an expatriate woman reported a scam involving a fake bank transaction. The woman received WhatsApp messages advertising household supplies at discounted prices. She responded and agreed to buy items worth 20 dinars, with payment to be made upon delivery.

However, the scammer first demanded a small payment of 500 fils through a link provided, claiming it was a deposit to confirm the purchase. The woman complied, but upon following the link, she was alarmed to find that 209.800 dinars had been withdrawn from her account. She provided authorities with the phone number used by the scammer. A security source suggested that the phone number, although appearing local, was likely set up for fraudulent activities and may not have been issued locally.