In new scam, fraudsters swindle residents of small amounts at shopping malls

NT Bureau

Some residents in Qatar have alerted people about a new kind of scam at some shopping malls where people are approached by a stranger who pretends to be in urgent need of a small amount and promises to return the money in a few days, but never repays.

These fraudsters give various excuses to swindle money like the need for medical treatment or for recharging their phone which have been disconnected due to non-payment of bills.

“I had gone to a bank at City Center and someone approached me and asked me for 80 riyals, saying his son was admitted to hospital in India and urgently needed to send some money and was falling short of 80 riyals,” a resident, an Indian expatriate, who didn’t want to be identified, told News Trail.

“He looked like a gentleman and didn’t sound suspicious and I believed him. Only when he didn’t return the money as promised, I realized that I was cheated,” he said.

Another resident said he was approached by someone who said he wanted 80 riyals desperately as he didn’t have any cash as his friend, who had promised to come with money, hadn’t turned up and his phone, too, wasn’t working as he couldn’t pay the bill. 

“I didn’t have change and gave him 100 riyals and he didn’t pay back,” the person who was cheated said.

In a Facebook post, another person said he was swindled of QR20 at Villaggio Mall. “Two people approached and asked for 20 riyals and promised to pay the money in India on a Google Pay number which I gave him.”

Another resident commented in the post that he too was swindle of QR20.

“What makes me sad is that I was cheated, in the first place, and secondly when such cases happen, we will be reluctant to help people who are genuinely in need,” he said.

According to those who have been cheated, it’s not clear whether it’s just one or two people who are on the prowl cheating people or whether more people are involved.