13 Pakistanis arrested in Saudi Arabia for phone swindle

Thirteen Pakistani nationals have been arrested in two Saudi areas over alleged involvement in trickery acts, police officials said.

Nine of the suspects had been apprehended in the western Saudi city of Makkah, spokesman for the holy city’s police Brig. Mohammad Bin Abdul Wahab said.

“Their arrest came after the availability of proofs of their commitment of fraud crimes. They used text messages to lure their victims and collect data from them on such false claims as updating their bank accounts or telling them [the victims] they had won cash prizes”, according to reports.

With the tricks, the suspects were purportedly able to withdraw money from the victims’ bank accounts.

Police found in possession of the nine an undisclosed sum of money, 25 mobile phones and 44 SIM cards.

Four other Pakistanis were arrested in the central Saudi region of Qassim on fraud suspicions, according to the Saudi news agency.

The suspects used similar tricks to swindle the victims out of money, police said.