Doha: The Interior Ministry has issued a warning to the public in the face of rising cyber crime and fraud. The Home Ministry has directed the public to be vigilant against any form of cyber-fraud and to report any incident to the authorities immediately. In the event of a crime, contact the Economic and Cybercrime Competitive Department under the Ministry of Home Affairs immediately via e-mail, phone, or Metrosh2. Full details of the scam should also be provided. Blackmail is a crime punishable by up to three years in prison and a fine of up to one lakh riyals. Cybercrime includes hacking, fraud, intimidation, blackmail, child sexual abuse, and slander. The announcement was made at a webinar organized by the Cyber and Financial Crimes Prevention Department under the Ministry of Home Affairs. More than 200 people attended the webinar. Under Qatari law, engaging in illegal activities using information technology and the Internet falls within the scope of cybercrime.
Speaking on the webinar, the official explained that crime against nations, movement against individuals, external threats against government institutions, lack of geographical boundaries and financial fraud could all be factors in inciting cybercrime. The webinar also explained the services of the Ministry of Interior in the case of cybercrime, the general nature of cybercrime, methods of combating cybercrime, and penalties under Qatari law. The home ministry has demanded that cybercriminals not fall prey to anonymous messages, call back and block all access to criminals.