Okaz

A report published in Okaz recently about a real estate agent required to return money to the people whom he deceived mentioned the following: The details of the case go back to when a newspaper that specializes in real estate published an advertisement that a person called Abu Fahd was offering financing to build or buy a villa or an apartment and would accept returns in installments. The defendant’s mobile phone number was on the advert without his company’s name or license details. A large number of people responded to the advert and asked for help to buy homes. The defendant offered to pay 20 percent of the value of properties in advance and the rest in installments. Many people became victims of this scam.

The details of this case make it a model for a series of scams that demonstrate that people never learn their lesson and fraudsters never become discouraged. The police and the law never get a break from dealing with such cases. The story repeats itself at regular intervals with people seemingly submissive to those who cheat them. It seems that fraudsters have become experts in manipulating people and officials seem unable to put an end to all of this.

How can people be allowed to publish adverts with no details except their phone numbers and nicknames and why aren’t the authorities alerted by such adverts? It is easier to prevent fraud than to recover the rights of those who have been cheated.

The adverts that we see in some publications and on posters are the first step in preventing fraud. The responsible authorities should monitor these adverts to protect naïve people from becoming victims of fraud.