‘Protecting personal data essential for businesses’

The many cases of extortion and fraud which some wealthy Saudi businessmen face abroad has prompted them to seek the assistance of specialized centers in the Kingdom offering courses on how to protect themselves and their property against such assaults outside the country.
The courses, which are organized by private and public agencies with the participation of former Federal Bureau of Investigation agents inform on security measures in case of abductions carried out by organized gangs who often demand ransoms in return for the victim, or in case of robberies.
Security adviser Mohammad Al-Ansari said that the Saudi community lacks the concept of a culture of security, especially with regards to personal information which makes them easy victims of extortion, abduction and information theft.
“There are no accurate statistics for such cases because of the absence of a formal body which gathers and stores data,” said Al-Ansari.
He observed that a recent study by the FBI revealed that Saudi businessmen are the most targeted following the USA.
“Saudi Arabia ranks 20th among the most powerful states economically and this is a major contributing factor for Saudi businessmen to be victimized by unscrupulous parties,” he pointed out.
He said that persons holding Saudi passports are prime targets of organized gangs because of the facilities the passport holder enjoys and the accessibility it affords to a large number of countries without the need for a visa sometimes.
Ali Al-Ghamdi, a businessman said that Saudis often flaunt their wealth making them susceptible to extortion and abduction. “However, with the increasing awareness of the dangers, businessmen are being more careful when they travel abroad,” he noted.
On the other hand, Khalaf Al-Otaibi, another businessman argued that holding courses on security is not feasible as businessmen have no time to attend. He added, however, that the Interior ministry is very keen on protecting Saudi businessmen in case of threats.