Saudis and expatriates here say criminals are increasingly trying to hack into their bank accounts using bogus emails and smartphone applications.

Many say that they have received emails from these crooks asking them to reveal their account numbers. Some emails have special software that can be used to hack their accounts, they say.

These thieves also send spam emails with fake offers or prize money from contests. These require the customer to send his or her bank account details to the sender.

Talat Hafiz, secretary general of the Media and Banking Awareness Committee of Saudi Banks, said on Monday that local banks would launch a new awareness campaign this summer because most of these operations take place when Saudis are vacationing abroad.

"Saudi banks have already launched five awareness campaigns since 2009 to warn bank customers of these fraudulent operations. They are also working with several government bodies to protect the accounts of bank clients."

Hafiz warned that applications downloaded onto smartphones can steal bank account information from SMSs, which have been sent from banks to their customers.

"New technology has helped hackers access personal data via emails or smartphones of bank customers. There are also con men who convince bank customers into receiving money claiming they do not have bank accounts. They then manage to get the customer’s account number and pin number."

"Other crooks contact bank clients on the phone and pose as bank employees and request account numbers and passwords claiming that they want to update the client’s account."

"There are around 1,600 to 1,900 bank customers who complain monthly about fake operations via emails or at ATMs."

He said Saudis and expatriates withdrew SR494 billion in the last quarter of 2013 at ATMs. Around 998 million transactions took place at ATMs during the same period.

The Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA) has warned customers several times about such operations.

There are also crooks posing as Syrian refugees using emails to get money from sympathetic Saudis.