Bahrain’s security authorities dealt with more than 400 cyber cases last year (2014). The complaints were either lodged with police stations or reported on hotline 992, said First Lieutenant Ahmed Al-Khayyat, from the General Directorate of Anti-Corruption, Economic and Electronic Security.
He was speaking as he took part in the weekly "Amn" programme, which is regularly aired on Radio Bahrain in cooperation with the Interior Ministry’s Police Media Directorate.
First Lieutenant Al-Khayyat stressed the importance of the law which was passed to reduce cybercrimes and protect the security of individuals and society.
"Unprecedented IT strides are now being exploited to blackmail people through stealing their personal data", he said, pointing out that unauthorized online access to banks is punishable under the law on cybercrimes.
He pointed out that the directorate investigates any cyber case once reported before taking the necessary legal measures prior to its referral to the Public Prosecution.
He cautioned internet users against posting their personal photos or data, warning that they may misused for criminal acts.
"We deal with a lot of cases in which internet uses find themselves blackmailed following the theft of their personal data or their private photos and videos which shows them in indecent positions", he said.
He advised internet users not to enter unknown or suspicious websites and ignored dubious emails as well as SMS messages luring them into revealing their personal data or pretending that they are winners.