Jeddah Criminal Investigations Unit (JCIU) has dealt a strong blow to a gang of four Asians who went around deceiving the general public by calling them on their cell phones and telling them they had won financial prizes. The gang members would ask a victim to buy a pre-paid card and send the serial number to another gang member so that the victim could claim his prize. Then, they would tell the caller that he/she won a prize; however, the caller later discovers that the number to which the pre-paid card's serial number was sent to is out of service. The JCIU started gathering information and dispatched undercover agents to markets where cell phones and pre-paid cards are sold and asked them to keep a close eye on anyone who would sell pre-paid cards in bulk. The agents found a Pakistani national who sold pre-paid cards to his compatriots in large numbers for low prices. He and his accomplices were arrested. One of the accused admitted to the deed, saying he used his perfect Saudi dialect to convince victims that they won a prize. Brig. Mesfer Al-Juaid, Jeddah Police spokesman, said the gang members called random cell phone numbers and asked victims to provide them with the first three digits of the phone chip. Many victims fell for the trick after gang members told them they won SR100,000 and had to send pre-paid card serial numbers to a certain cell phone number to be eligible to get the prize, added Brig. Al-Juaid. __
