Advance-Fee Scams in Oman
Advance-fee fraud targeting Oman's residents uses fabricated inheritance stories, government contract windfalls, and charitable donations to extract repeated upfront payments.
Part of: Advance Fee Scams
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Oman's reputation as a stable and prosperous Gulf state is exploited by advance-fee scammers who impersonate Omani officials, businesspeople, and legal figures in messages sent to victims in Oman and abroad. The combination of Gulf wealth narratives and convincing document templates makes these schemes credible to first-time victims.
Expat workers in Oman are frequently targeted with offers that play on their aspiration to accelerate their financial progress and return home with savings.
How this scam works on Oman
A message arrives claiming that the victim is the beneficiary of an estate or has been awarded an Omani government contract through a random selection. A 'lawyer' at a fictitious Muscat firm explains that only a small administrative fee stands between the victim and a transformative payment.
Each fee is described as the final one, but each payment reveals a new obstacle: a Central Bank of Oman clearance, a Ministry of Finance certificate, or a diplomatic channel fee. Documents reference real Omani ministries but have subtle formatting errors that are difficult to spot without legal expertise.
Some scammers conduct the approach in Arabic to appear even more authentic to Omani or Arabic-speaking expat victims.
Common red flags
- Unsolicited message about an inheritance or contract award linked to Oman
- Any fee required before the promised funds are released
- Documents sent via WhatsApp rather than through formal legal service
- Each payment triggers a new, unexpected fee
- Secrecy demanded — 'do not involve your bank or a lawyer'
- Sender uses a free email domain despite claiming to represent an official institution
How to protect yourself
- Legitimate inheritances and contract payments do not require the beneficiary to pay fees upfront
- Verify any claimed Omani institution or legal firm independently via official directories
- Report to the Royal Oman Police before paying anything
- Search the sender's name and the story details online for prior fraud reports
- Block and report without further engagement
How to report it
- Report to the Royal Oman Police Cybercrime Unit
- Contact the Ministry of Justice if a legal impersonation is involved
- File a complaint via the Oman eGovernance portal
Frequently asked questions
I received a message in formal Arabic from someone claiming to be a notary in Muscat. How do I verify?
Call the Ministry of Justice in Oman or the Oman Chamber of Commerce and ask whether the named notary is registered. Do not call any number provided in the message.