MUSCAT, Oman, 8 October 2026 – A social media ad may seem innocuous: a deal, a service or a property available for rent. However, law-enforcement officers in Oman are now claiming that scores of these types of ads have allegedly formed the basis of a fraud scheme in which a certain Arab has been linked to more than 60 online frauds.
The Royal Oman Police announced on October 7 that the Muscat Governorate‘s police command arrested the suspect after the investigators carried out enquiries into the online scams. Gulf News reported on the developments around 12:43 pm on October 7, citing the ROP.
Police claim that the suspect used bank accounts and phone numbers of individuals from the same nationality for promotion of goods, services and rental properties through social media. The ads helped attract unwitting victims who transferred money for goods, services or properties that were supposedly provided to them.
What makes this case particularly unusual is its vastness. The investigators have linked the suspect to more than 60 different incidents which indicate that the fraud was not a one-off transaction but a systematic approach in using online tools against innocent buyers and potential renters.
The arrest has also come against the backdrop of increasing alarm about the issue of internet fraud in Oman. On October 4, 2025, Gulf News reported that the Royal Oman Police had registered a 50% increase in cyber-fraud offences in the first part of the year compared to the same period of the previous year. The police explained that the rapid advances in technology, online payment systems, and digital platforms partly drive the growing number of cases. The authorities have also publicly warned that the perpetrators of digital fraud are becoming more skilled and effective in using fake marketplaces, fraudulent websites, and other forms of digital trickery.
The incident of the latest case highlights the ability of the fraudsters to take advantage of the internet’s greatest asset: its speed and convenience—making fraudulent offers look ordinary. Posting a rental listing, online sale or service offer takes little more than clicking on a few buttons, but getting money back after being defrauded could be a more complicated matter than the posting.
According to ROP, legal proceedings against the alleged perpetrator are underway. As of now, no conviction has been made, and accusations remain subject to the law.
