Kuwait Scams: Online, Investment & Consumer Fraud Guide
Common scams in Kuwait including cyber fraud, fake payment links, investment schemes, and phone impersonation fraud, with official reporting channels.
Emergency number: 112 — verify on official sources.
Last reviewed: 1 August 2026
Kuwait has reported a surge in cybercrime in recent years, and most of it converges on one thing: the KNET payment page. Because nearly every online payment in Kuwait runs through the national KNET gateway, fraudsters build convincing fake KNET pages and reach victims through smishing — texts warning that a civil ID is expiring, a parcel is held at customs, a government fine is due, or an electricity bill is unpaid — each linking to a counterfeit portal that harvests card details and the OTP that follows. Calls impersonating bank staff, PACI or Ministry of Interior officers use the same harvest-the-OTP endgame, often in Arabic, English, Hindi or Urdu to match the country's large expatriate workforce.
Expats face an additional layer: fake work-visa 'agents' and domestic-worker recruitment offices charging fees for placements that never materialise, and overpayment scams aimed at workers selling cars or furniture before leaving. Residents also see WhatsApp investment groups promoting fake forex and crypto platforms, some dressed up as Islamic finance, and social media shops that take payment and vanish. Government bodies regularly publish warnings that official services live only on .gov.kw domains and that no official ever asks for an OTP.
The Ministry of Interior's Cyber Crime Department (moi.gov.kw) is the primary reporting body. If card details or an OTP have been given up, the bank call — before the fraudster finishes the transaction — matters more than anything else.
Common scams
- Fake payment links impersonating government or company portals
- Phone and WhatsApp impersonation of government officials
- Investment and crypto fraud via social media
- Online shopping fraud and non-delivery
Tourist-specific scams
- Unofficial taxi drivers overcharging at Kuwait International Airport
- Fake luxury goods and counterfeit products
- Overpayment scams targeting expatriate workers
Online shopping scams
- Fake government payment portals collecting personal and financial data
- Phishing SMS and emails impersonating Kuwaiti banks
- Social media investment ads for fraudulent trading platforms
Job scams
- Fake domestic and professional job offers requiring upfront fees
- Fraudulent work-visa agents charging for non-existent placements
- Task scams via WhatsApp and Telegram paying small sums then demanding deposits
Romance scams
- Social media romance fraud leading to financial requests
- Dating-app grooming escalating to investment scheme involvement
- Blackmail following exchanged images ('sextortion') targeting residents
Investment scams
- Fraudulent forex and crypto platforms promoted via WhatsApp groups
- Ponzi schemes promoted as Islamic finance or high-yield investments
- Fake stock-tip and 'trading academy' groups charging subscription and deposit fees
How to report a scam here
- Contact your bank immediately if money has been transferred
- Report cybercrime to the Ministry of Interior's Cyber Crime Department at moi.gov.kw
- Call or WhatsApp the MoI cybercrime number 97283939
- Dial 112 in an emergency
Local reporting & protection links
Always verify reporting routes and emergency contacts on the official government or agency website for your country.
Bank & payment guidance
Call your bank on the number on the back of your card, or through its official app, and not a number sent to you in a message. Explain that you were deceived into authorising the payment or into entering your details on a fake KNET page, ask for the card to be blocked immediately and the transfer stopped, and keep the reference number. If you read out an OTP, say so — the bank needs to kill the pending transaction and reset your credentials, and every minute counts before the fraudster completes the purchase or transfer. Ask about disputing the KNET or card transaction formally and reissuing the card. Then report to the Ministry of Interior Cyber Crime Department at moi.gov.kw or on 97283939; expatriates should keep a copy of the report for their employer and home bank if a foreign card was used.
Evidence to preserve
- Screenshot all messages, profiles, websites and payment pages
- Save transaction references, account numbers and crypto wallet addresses
- Keep emails with full headers where possible
- Note dates, times, names and phone numbers used
Frequently asked questions
How do I identify a legitimate Kuwaiti government website?
Official Kuwaiti government websites use the .gov.kw domain suffix. The Ministry of Interior warns that fraudulent sites often mimic official portals with slightly altered URLs. Always verify the domain before entering personal or payment information.
What is a fake KNET page scam?
KNET is Kuwait's national payment gateway, so fraudsters send texts about expiring civil IDs, held parcels or unpaid fines that link to counterfeit KNET payment pages. Entering card details and the OTP there hands the fraudster a live transaction. Reach government services by typing the official .gov.kw address yourself, and treat any payment link arriving by SMS or WhatsApp as fraudulent.
Will Kuwaiti banks or the police ever ask for my OTP?
No. Banks, PACI and the Ministry of Interior never ask customers to read out an OTP, PIN or card number by phone or message. Any such request is fraud — hang up and call your bank on the number printed on your card.
Sources
- National police and cybercrime portals (verify on official sites)
- FTC / Action Fraud / Scamwatch consumer guidance