If you bank online in Kuwait, you need to know about a new trick doing the rounds. Someone is forging official-looking letters, putting the Ministry of Interior’s name and the minister’s own title on them, and sending them to people as if they are real.
The goal is simple: scare you into thinking your bank account has a problem, then get you to hand over your banking details on WhatsApp. It’s the same playbook we’ve seen grow more creative over the last few weeks, from fake police adding fake bank staff on video calls to the fake Interior Ministry WhatsApp messages reported just a day earlier.
- Forged documents are circulating with the Ministry of Interior’s name and the minister’s title on them.
- The letters claim there is suspicious activity on your bank account to scare you into responding.
- Scammers want your banking details or verification codes sent through WhatsApp.
- The Cybercrime General Department is investigating and will take legal action.
What exactly is going around?
The Ministry of Interior said in a press statement that these are not real ministry documents. They only look official. The fake papers mention problems with bank accounts, using official-sounding language to make the threat feel urgent and real.
Once someone is worried enough, the scammers push them towards WhatsApp. There, they ask for banking information directly – account numbers, card details, or the one-time verification codes banks send by SMS.
If you hand over a verification code, that’s often the final step a scammer needs to move money out of your account. This is why the ministry is so clear: never share these codes with anyone, no matter how official the request looks.
Who is investigating this?
The ministry confirmed that its Cybercrime General Department is investigating the case. It said legal action will follow once the investigation is complete. No arrests or names have been announced yet, so there isn’t more detail to share at this stage.
The story so far
- 7 November: scammers were already impersonating police and adding fake bank staff to video calls to steal account details.
- 9 November: authorities told the public to turn on two-factor authentication and fingerprint login for extra protection.
- 11 November: the ministry first warned of a fake Interior Ministry scam running on WhatsApp.
- 12 November: the ministry says the same scam is now using forged official letters carrying its name.
What this means for people in Kuwait
This affects anyone with a bank account in Kuwait – citizens and expats alike. Scammers don’t check your nationality or visa status before targeting you. If you get a message or document claiming to be from the Ministry of Interior about your bank account, treat it as suspicious until you can confirm it through official channels.
This isn’t the only money-related warning out this month. The Central Bank of Kuwait has also been asking the public to report unlicensed money transfer activities, and banks are now watching small repeated transfers more closely. Together, these moves show the authorities are trying to close several gaps at once.
You can check our local news updates for more on how these scams are developing and what officials are doing about them.
Quick answers
What should I do if I get one of these letters or messages?
Don’t reply, don’t click any links, and don’t share your banking details or verification codes. The ministry says to ignore these messages entirely.
Has anyone been arrested over this?
Not yet. The Cybercrime General Department is still investigating, and the ministry says legal action will follow once that work is complete.
Is this linked to the earlier WhatsApp scam?
It looks like the same scheme continuing. The ministry first flagged fake WhatsApp messages using its name, and now says forged letters are being used in the same way.
If something claiming to be from the Ministry of Interior lands in your inbox or on WhatsApp asking about your bank account, slow down before you respond. Have you seen one of these messages yourself? Let us know in the comments.
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