Ministry of Commerce warns of fake websites impersonating agency to steal bank data

The Ministry of Commerce in Saudi Arabia has issued a warning to the public about fraudulent websites that are attempting to mimic the agency's identity in order to steal banking information from unsuspecting individuals. The ministry has emphasized that it never requests sensitive data such as bank account numbers, card information, or customer verification codes.

In a recent post on their official X account, the ministry urged the public to exercise caution when interacting with suspected fake websites or impersonators, as these entities aim to obtain sensitive data for malicious purposes. The ministry strongly advised against sharing any banking details or verification codes with anyone making such requests, stressing that only the official entity should be trusted.

The Consumer Bulletin for the second quarter of 2026, recently published by the Ministry of Commerce, highlighted the agency's ongoing efforts to enforce regulations and protect consumers. During this period, the ministry conducted over 151,000 inspections at commercial establishments and online stores to ensure compliance with regulations, issuing more than 4,000 discount licenses for over 12 million products.

Additionally, the ministry managed more than 137,000 complaints, with the majority relating to online stores and non-compliance with exchange and return policies, while maintaining an average resolution time of 36 hours. Furthermore, the ministry carried out 25 recall campaigns during the same quarter, addressing more than 48,000 defective vehicles and products, as part of their commitment to enhance consumer safety through technical defect resolution.