Introduction to Digital Fraud in the GCC
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are experiencing a significant rise in digital fraud, with scammers using social media platforms and search engines to impersonate public figures and exploit well-known institutions. Despite regulatory, technical, and awareness efforts by Gulf governments, there are concerns about the "laxity" of some platforms in controlling fake content, making it easier for misinformation and identity theft campaigns to spread.
The Impact of Fake Content
Prince Khaled bin Al-Waleed bin Talal, president of the Saudi Sports for All Federation, stressed that big tech companies need to get more involved in the fight against digital fraud. He noted that social media companies make billions from the region and have a clear duty to protect users. The slow response to Arabic content management and fake search results means people are vulnerable to exploitation. The prince also pointed out that the exploitation of his family’s name and charities has increased the risk of these operations, as people trust good intentions and see a reliable charity, making them targets for fraud.
Deception Tactics
Many of these operations begin with social media accounts or electronic pages that resemble official websites, broadcasting exciting content that delves into the private lives of public figures or promotes fake news to increase tracking and viewing. As interaction increases, the conversation quickly shifts to messaging applications, requesting "registration fees" or participation in purported "sweepstakes" or "grants." They often lure users into transferring small amounts initially, which later develop into larger amounts under the pretext of "identity verification" or "speeding up the transaction."
The Role of Artificial Intelligence
Prince Khaled bin Al-Waleed bin Talal emphasizes that combating digital fraud requires a joint effort from platforms and search engines to increase digital awareness and counter fake content spreading at enormous speed thanks to artificial intelligence. The development of generation tools has made images, videos, and audio reproducible in a way that misleads even experienced users. Users must learn to verify what they see, as technology has made it easy to create an unreal reality.
Technical Challenges
Matt Such, founder and CEO of Enidon, believes that platforms face a complex challenge because fraudsters exploit communication channels, telephone calls, email, and messaging applications. Detection systems, despite their development, cannot detect all cases. Attackers are constantly evolving their methods of evading defenses, and with the proliferation of artificial intelligence-generated content and deepfake technologies, attack methods have become more complex, challenging traditional detection capabilities.
The Need for Actual Will and Deterrence Laws
Ashraf Zaytoun, former head of public policy for the Middle East and North Africa region at Meta, says that platforms have sufficient resources to deal with misleading messages but lack the "actual will" to do so. He proposes enacting strict laws with high fines for platforms that do not effectively and quickly deal with misleading messages and identity theft, as this approach would have a direct impact on the business model and create internal incentives to invest in local moderation teams and develop more accurate detection tools.
Between Awareness and Responsibility
The warnings coincide with an intensifying legislative and regulatory process in the Gulf region regarding digital content and misleading information. Raising awareness about obtaining information from verified accounts and official sources has become a constant focus in awareness campaigns. However, the absence of this issue from the priority list of communication companies and search engines makes it difficult to contain the phenomenon. Experts believe that the effective equation is based on several integrated pillars: strengthening local surveillance of Arabic content, developing technical tools to monitor fraudulent behavior, and improving connectivity between platforms.
A Credibility Test for Platforms
For platforms, this phenomenon represents a direct test of their credibility in their largest growth market. The ability to balance freedom of expression, digital security considerations, and the demands of an advertising-based business model requires investments and procedural decisions, from expanding local monitoring teams to improving artificial intelligence models for the Arabic language. Regularly disclosing the results of combating misinformation and cheating in the languages of the region and in a verifiable way is essential.
Conclusion
The tech world remains a deep world that needs a regulatory framework to control. Messages from officials and experts overlap, saying that "digital fraud cannot be combated with sporadic initiatives." A sustainable framework is needed that brings together platforms, regulators, and civil society, balancing innovation and protection, increasing the costs of infringement for misleading parties, and restoring trust in the digital space.
