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المديرية العامة لقوى الأمن الداخلي

خدمة.ثقة.شراكة

The Cybercrime Bureau arrests a member of a fraud ring, while the Internal Security Forces warn against sending copies of payment receipts through money transfer companies to suspicious parties.

15/5/2026

Issued by the General Directorate of the Internal Security Forces – Public Relations Division:

As part of the daily efforts carried out by the Internal Security Forces to combat crimes, especially cybercrime and online fraud, the Cybercrime and Intellectual Property Bureau of the Judicial Police Unit received a complaint from a Syrian national who had fallen victim to fraud after being deceived with promises of securing a travel visa to a European country through advertisements posted on several social media platforms.

After contacting him and agreeing that payment would be made upon his arrival in the intended country, he was later asked, under the pretext of verifying that he possessed USD 7,000 to initiate the procedures, to transfer the amount through an electronic application to one of his relatives and then send a copy of the receipt as proof of ownership of the funds. Once he complied and sent the receipt, the gang swiftly forged a Syrian identity card in the recipient’s name bearing the photo of one of the operators and seized the money transfer.

Through technical and investigative follow-up, the bureau determined that the mastermind of the gang, who lures victims—most of them Syrian nationals—operates from Syrian territory and coordinates with an individual in Brital who forges Lebanese and Syrian identity cards and dispatches people to collect money transfers using those forged documents in exchange for financial compensation.

Following investigations and surveillance operations, a patrol from the bureau caught the latter in the act while attempting to collect a money transfer using a forged identity card, after setting up a tight ambush in the town of Ferzol. The operation involved gunfire and resistance against the patrol officers. He was identified as:

A. F. (born in 1998, Lebanese)

During interrogation, he confessed to the charges against him and admitted carrying out numerous similar operations.

The suspect was referred to the competent judicial authority, while search and investigation notices were circulated against the remaining individuals involved. Efforts are ongoing to arrest them, upon the instruction of the competent judiciary.

Warning:
The General Directorate of the Internal Security Forces urges citizens and residents alike to remain cautious of various fraud schemes. In this context, it advises against sending copies of payment receipts, official documents (financial or otherwise), or photographs thereof to any suspicious or untrusted party in order to avoid falling victim to fraudsters.

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