Every Gulf country treats online blackmail as a crime, and each has a route built for exactly this. People hesitate because they do not know what happens after they call. Here is what exists, what to have ready, and what to expect. The numbers were checked on the date at the top of this page.
Saudi Arabia
- 1909 is the unified number of the General Presidency for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice. Its anti-extortion service takes reports of blackmail with photos, videos or conversations, by phone or through the service page.
- The Kollona Amn app of the Ministry of Interior takes a written report with screenshots attached, and gives you a report number to keep.
- For an immediate threat, the police on 999, or 911 in Riyadh, Makkah, Madinah and the Eastern Province. A criminal case is then handled by the Public Prosecution.
- The law is the Anti-Cyber Crime Law. You do not need to quote it; the officer knows it.
The UAE
- Dubai Police take cybercrime reports through the eCrime service and the Dubai Police app. Their non-emergency number is 901, and the emergency number everywhere in the UAE is 999.
- The Ministry of Interior runs a federal cybercrime line, 800 CYBER, which is 800 29237.
- Abu Dhabi Police run the Aman service on 800 2626, also by SMS to 2828, and it keeps the identity of the person reporting confidential.
- The law is Federal Decree-Law 34 of 2021 on combating rumours and cybercrimes.
Qatar
- The Ministry of Interior's Economic and Cyber Crimes Combating Department takes reports through the Metrash app, by phone on 2347444, on the hotline 66815757, and by email at cccc@moi.gov.qa, without a visit to a police station.
- The law is Law 14 of 2014 on combating cybercrimes.
What to have ready
- Screenshots of the profile, the messages and the demand, with the date and the handle visible.
- The link to the account or channel, and the phone number if there is one.
- Any payment you already made: the method, the amount, the date and the receiving details.
- Your own identity document. The report is about you, and they will confirm who you are.
What happens after
An officer contacts you, usually the same day. You may be asked to keep the conversation open rather than block, so the account can be traced. The material is handled under privacy rules, and you are not asked to show it to anyone who does not need to see it. Cases where the person is outside the country take longer, and that is where the platform work matters more than the police work.
I can prepare the file for you, in the form each channel expects, and be on the line if you want me there. Reporting is your decision, and I never make it a condition of the case.
