Mangalore Man Cleared of Cyber Scam Allegations in Saudi Arabia
A man from Mangalore, working for a well-known Greek company in Tabuk, was recently cleared of allegations related to a hacker’s scam and is now permitted to leave for India on leave. The man, who wishes to remain anonymous, is from Indira Nagar at Haleyangady in Dakshina Kannada, Karnataka.
Brief of the Case:
The man had been employed by the Greek company for nearly three years, diligently performing his duties. On November 15, 2022, he received a call from an individual pretending to be an officer from the Saudi Arabian Interior Ministry. This “officer” informed him that his Iqama (Residency Permit) was about to expire and sent him an OTP to validate it. Trusting the caller’s identity, the man accepted the OTP. He continued his work without issues until he planned to take a vacation.
On September 30, 2023, while traveling from Tabuk to Jeddah International Airport for his flight to India, he was contacted by his company and instructed him to return to Tabuk because his exit re-entry was not processed due to a case against his Iqama.
Upon his return, he discovered that SAR 17K had been withdrawn from a citizen’s bank account through his account. The man had no knowledge of this transaction nor did he have any money in his account. Recalling the OTP incident from a year earlier, he realized he had been a victim of a cyber scam.
A case was filed against him in the concerned police station and he made a clear statement to the police about the incident that happened a year back. After the investigation that took more than nine months, he was exonerated and is now allowed to go on leave to India.
Riyadh-based pro bono lawyer and social worker, Dr. & Adv. P.A.Hameed Padubidri, along with support from the man’s company, played a crucial role in resolving the case. The man expressed his profound gratitude to the concerned officials, his company, and particularly to P.A. Hameed Padubidri and Naufal Mulky for their unwavering support and constant follow-up.