Dialogue
Session Held on Electronic Fraud Phenomenon with Consumers

Muscat,
14 Dec 2025 (ONA) —- The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) today
organized a dialogue session with consumers, part of the “Constructive
Dialogue” initiative, to discuss the phenomenon of electronic fraud and
the challenges posed by the sharing of unlicensed networks.

This
initiative aims to enhance direct dialogue with the community, build a more
secure and trusted telecommunications environment, and improve service quality
by involving the community in formulating regulatory and oversight solutions.

The
session addressed the sharing of unlicensed networks, starting with the clarity
of the legal definitions for these practices, moving through the adequacy of
current penalties and fines, and concluding with the security risks they entail.
Participants also touched upon the impact of these networks on the quality of
telecommunications services.

The
meeting also covered cyber crimes and modern fraud methods, reviewing the
techniques employed by fraudsters to obtain data or deceive users, and
discussing expected future patterns in light of the evolution of digital crime
tools. The session further discussed the readiness of concerned authorities to
deal with these cases, the effectiveness of current regulatory frameworks in
closing loopholes that fraudsters might exploit, and prevention methods and the
level of community awareness. Participants debated the capacity of prevailing
digital awareness to reduce the number of fraud victims.

It
is noted that this meeting comes within the TRA’s efforts to enhance direct
communication with consumers, understand their views on the main challenges
they face, and discuss proposals that contribute to improving service quality
and providing a more secure and trusted telecommunications environment.

—Ends/AG