Baghdad: The Ministry of Interior announced on Saturday that a network involved in financial fraud and the theft of employees’ and retirees’ salaries had been thwarted.

According to Iraqi News Agency, the ministry said in a statement that the Federal Intelligence and Investigations Agency (FIIA) at the Ministry of Interior had dismantled an organized criminal network specializing in financial fraud and the theft of citizens’, retirees’, and employees’ money from electronic payment cards. The network members impersonated employees of ‘Qi Card’ to obtain their confidential data.

The statement further detailed that the five members of the criminal network were arrested, with their roles divided between managing the group, securing the data, and managing and transferring the stolen funds. It was noted that the Directorate for Combating Cybercrime is continuing its technical and investigative procedures to track down the remaining suspects, uncover the network’s financial and electronic links, and complete the dismantling of its extensions, with a security recommendation for citizens.

The FIIA urged citizens not to respond to any call requesting electronic payment card data or confidential card numbers, emphasizing that the concerned companies do not request such information through calls, as they already have the necessary data within their official systems. It also called on citizens to immediately report any case of fraud or suspicious attempt through the unified emergency number (911), so that the necessary legal and technical measures can be taken against those responsible.