In its commitment to achieving its strategic objectives and supporting the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, and in order to enhance the protection of government entities and beneficiaries from the increasing digital risks, the rapid expansion of digital technologies has highlighted the need for a clear and comprehensive guideline for Anti-Digital Fraud. This guideline aims to build trust between individuals and government entities by providing safe and efficient user experience and ensuring comprehensive protection against digital fraud.

The Digital Government Authority regulatory role in enhancing digital security by setting controls, standards, and guidelines that enable government entities to build the necessary capabilities and procedures to effectively combat digital fraud. In this context, the Digital Government Authority has developed the "Anti-Digital Fraud Guideline" to support the efforts of government entities in developing and improving practices for managing digital fraud risks. Anti-Digital Fraud requires a joint approach and cross-collaboration across entities and institutions. Therefore, government entities are encouraged to reach out to the DGA to jointly develop tailored solutions for specific issues.

Digital fraud is a dynamic issue that requires cross government and cross sector collaboration to solve. Often the cause of digital fraud and its impact take place on different digital perimeters. It is also a fast evolving and incredibly impactful materialization of risk, that leaves financial and psychological effects on its victims. To this end, this guideline document seeks to provide practical tools and recommendations to risk management practitioners and senior management on how best to structure their anti-digital fraud efforts and ensure that general societal effects are limited.

This guide aims to support government entities in enhancing digital trust between government entities and their beneficiaries and reducing the impact of digital fraud, by achieving the following objectives:

• Reduce the impact of digital fraud on digital government services to improve the level of digital government services and ensuring the provision of safer and more efficient services to beneficiaries.

• Provide entities with the essential building blocks for developing digital fraud risk management frameworks, which contributes to improving its response to digital challenges.

• Assist the adoption of essential anti-digital fraud principles and practices by all government entities in line with international standards and best practices, and enhancing their ability to efficiently address digital risks.

• Enable a robust anti-digital fraud culture and enhance overall levels of risk management across services provided by government entities, to ensure the continuity of services and protect the public interest.

• Contribute to the implementation of an effective methodology for managing digital fraud risks in government entities, which helps improve strategies for the prevention, detection, and handling of digital fraud

• Proactively engage in national digital fraud remediation efforts through collaboration with various sectors to activate comprehensive and unified strategies.

• Enhance existing practices and frameworks and contribute to a more unified approach to digital fraud risk management, contributing to improving the level of protection and response to risks.

• Raise awareness within the government sector about key digital fraud concepts and enhancing entities' understanding of the importance of Anti-Fraud and protecting the interests of beneficiaries.

This guideline aims to guide government entities that provide digital services and products by offering the necessary guidance and recommendations to reduce digital fraud on their platforms.  This guideline applies to all digital services and products provided by government entities, in addition, it considers the varying needs of different entities, allowing them to apply best practices in a way that enhances and ensures the continuous and efficient delivery of services.

The guidelines includes three main pillars:

• Digital Fraud Risks: including the definition of digital fraud and the types of digital fraud risks within government entities. It also highlights the importance of digital fraud prevention efforts and clarifies its key features.

• Anti-Digital Fraud Governance: Which aims to assist entities seeking to develop or establish specialized functions for managing digital fraud risks.

• Anti-Digital Fraud Methodology: Includes a number of non-binding recommendations intended to guide government entities in using these recommendations to effectively manage digital fraud risks in a manner that suits their needs.

This guideline targets all government entities that provide digital services and products, regardless of their size and nature. The extent of the application of the guidelines depends on the government entity’s portfolio of services and potential fraud risk exposure. The document is meant as a general guideline for risk management and fraud teams on how to structure and implement a potential approach to deal with digital fraud.

For more information; Check the digital version.