"Your vehicle has a new traffic violation. Pay 150 SAR within 24 hours to avoid doubling the fine." Attached is a link that looks official at first glance, with a payment page asking for your card number, expiry date and CVC. The message is fake. Traffic fine scams of this kind are sent in large numbers across Saudi Arabia, and the payment page is designed only to steal your card details — or to charge your card and disappear.
How the fake fine text works
The message creates false urgency: a fine, a short deadline, and a threat that the amount will double. Some versions name the sender "Absher" or use a similar title, which is possible because sender names on SMS can be spoofed. The link leads to a page that imitates an official government or payment look, but the domain name is not an official one. If you enter your card details, the fraudster can use them immediately, and the "fine" never existed.
Signs to look for
- A fine arriving by text with a payment link is already suspicious — official processes never demand payment through a link in an SMS.
- The deadline is unrealistically short and the wording pressures you to act "now".
- The web address in the link does not end in an official domain you recognise.
- The payment page asks for your CVC or a full card photo — genuine services do not need these from an SMS.
Where to check real fines
Real traffic fines appear inside official government channels only. Open the Absher or Tawakkalna applications on your phone — or the official Ministry of Interior platforms — and log in normally with your own credentials. If a fine is genuinely registered against you, it will be visible there, and payment is done through those official services. Do not use any link from a text message, even if the message appears to come from a known sender name. When in doubt, ask a trusted family member to help you check on the official app.
If you already clicked or paid
Contact your bank immediately on the number printed on your card and ask it to block the card and review recent charges. Change your banking app password, and keep the fake message as evidence. A quick report gives the authorities the best chance of acting while the trail is still fresh.
How to report it
In Saudi Arabia, report fake messages and payment-link fraud through the Ministry of Interior's official e-crime reporting channels. Current official reporting links are also listed on cyberawareuk.com/report — open them from the site, never from a link you received by text.
Emergency
Saudi Arabia police emergency: 911. Call if money has been taken or you are being pressured while the fraud is still in progress.