RIYADH: Citizens and residents of Saudi Arabia have been warned against donating to strangers due to the possibility the money could be used to finance terrorism.
The Kingdom’s Presidency of State Security posted on Twitter to urge people to donate via authorized and official channels, such as the Ehsan platform, adding: “[Random strangers] may be more dangerous thank you think.”
The authority also posted a video warning people how beggars can scam people out of their money.
The warning comes after the Ministry of Interior said an Asian woman who managed to collect around SR117,000 ($31,200) from begging had been arrested by the Kingdom’s security forces on Monday.
The ministry urged citizens and residents to report any beggars they encounter, while Brig. Gen. Sami Al-Shuwirakh reiterated that penalties will be imposed against those arrested for practicing, facilitating or organizing begging.
The Kingdom’s anti-begging law, which came into effect in January 2021, can enforce penalties ranging from a one-year prison sentence to a fine worth up to 100,000 SR ($26,658) or both for anyone begging or cooperating with beggars or inciting someone to beg.
