Dubai Police issue urgent alert to public, warning them against phishing emails asking for money

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Dubai Police have issued a strict public warning urging residents not to fall victim to phishing emails.

The police said on Twitter, “Dubai Police issue an urgent alert to the public, warning them against phishing emails. Scammers are using deceitful tactics, urging recipients to click on a link to pay fines and service fees. We urge community members to exercise caution and stay vigilant, as well as to verify the authenticity of any email claiming to be from Dubai Police to avoid falling victim to such fraudulent practices.”

The UAE has successfully integrated the digital lifestyle into everyday living of its citizens and residents, through creating smart telecommunications and digital transformation infrastructure, further advancing its status as an inspiring model of development and digitisation.

The Cyber Security Council for the Government of the UAE said that with the rapid pace of technological development and increasing reliance on digital solutions, the world is seeing a rise in phishing attacks that target members of the community, most notably via SMS (Short Message Service), through which users are lured with prizes to click on unsecure links, and asked to share personal, credit card and other information.

The UAE Cybersecurity Council launched the Cyber Pulse initiative to encourage all community members to play a part in cybersecurity efforts and enhance their digital awareness, he added.

The council highlighted the importance of countering various types of phishing attacks and raising the community’s awareness on suspicious online activities, while identifying the necessary steps to protect everyone against e-phishing.

Recently, a new method of fraud has spread by sending a fake email impersonating a well-known delivery company, requesting the victim’s bank data to pay fees which are only a few dirhams.

In this regard, famous delivery companies such as “Emirates Post” warned their customers of these frauds and asked them to be careful and ensure through various channels and applications the processing of their shipments or to call approved call centres.

It also advised them to use its official website / Emiratespost.ae/ and the mobile application when making an order and when they pay electronically.

“Aramex”, the well- known delivery company, indicated that fraudulent e-mails are the most common fraud methods on the web, as fraudsters deceive the public by sending an e-mail which seems as if sent by it and the sender requests personal sensitive information or bank account data. These may also request the person to register in Competition to win a prize.

FedEx, another well known delivery company said that it never requests, through calls, mail, text messages, or emails, payment information or personal information to deliver shipments.

Kaspersky anti-virus company explained that deception starts with receiving an email, which appears to be from a famous delivery company, but in fact it is sent from random email addresses that have nothing to do with any of the official email addresses of the postal services.

Abu Dhabi Police (ADP) warned, earlier, of fraud methods through fake messages from freight delivery companies via e-mail or a text message.

ADP asked the public not to click on links in emails or small messages, without checking them carefully. They also advise to carefully read messages and verifying their source, check email addresses which are sometimes similar to the original email addresses of delivery companies.

The public are also advised to find the letters HTTPS in the address of the site which sent the mail, avoid providing bank data via the WhatsApp, read the One Password messages (OTP) sent by the bank carefully and avoid clicking on online promotions and social media sites.