UAE Cybersecurity Council warns against fictitious promotional online deals

The UAE Government’s Cybersecurity Council has warned against fake deals, where cybercriminals use advanced fraudulent tactics to mimic promotional offers, deceiving online shoppers and stealing their personal and financial information.

The council explained the methods used by these criminals, who rely on attractive elements such as marketing campaigns linked to popular products or trends to capture shoppers' attention.

They also use exaggerated and unrealistic offers to prompt impulsive behavior, besides using phishing techniques, creating fake websites which resemble trusted brands to trick users into sharing their personal and payment information.

The council provided tips to overcome these scams, including shopping only through official websites or retailer accounts and use a dedicated shopping card.

The council added that cybercriminals follow more sophisticated and complex methods to target shoppers, making it easier than ever to breach personal and financial information. Using main credit card for online shopping can expose primary accounts to unauthorised access, potentially leading to direct financial losses, the council pointed out, affirming the importance of being cautious and thoughtful before clicking on any link, as well as verifying website addresses.