‘Residence affairs can’t ask for secret code while paying fees’

Reluctant expats file complaints

KUWAIT CITY, Feb 17: It is normal for the residence affairs officer to ask you your name, age, address, salary, and place of residence, but when he asks you for the secret number of your credit card, this is a violation of the rules and regulations, reports Al-Qabas daily.

The issue has surfaced because a number of expatriates have complained that when they visit the residence affairs departments some employees ask for their credit card bank code when they pay the residence renewal fees under the pretext of saving time.

Some people are said to have refused while others could not either due to ignorance or fear of the employee’s authority.

Although the instructions issued to immigration officials require them to follow the proper rules for paying the fees through the KNET devices, foremost the visitor enters his/her own password, there are still employees who violate these instructions, and expose themselves and the authority in which they work to accountability in the event one of these accounts is hacked.

In a related development, banking sources have confirmed that they have received complaints from clients in this regard, and addressed the concerned departments to alert employees not to repeat this, but the violations are still continuing.

The sources have called on the Ministry of Interior to oblige its employees to follow the proper procedures for paying the fees, while organizing courses in cooperation with the relevant banking authorities to increase awareness and the importance of protecting the clients’ data.