The UAE Interior Ministry has warned the cellular phone users against heeding unknown sms messages or phone calls, which inform them about wining awards or requesting their account numbers.
Brig. Omair Mohammed Al Muhairi, director of the Capital Police Directorate, said the police stations in Abu Dhabi, have received 14 reports from the victims of fraud and swindling. Unknown conmen exploited their phone services to seize AED120, 000. “This figure does not reflect genuine amount of fraud crimes as many victims decline to report the crimes they undergone”.
He added that the cyber crimes were new, indicating that “some victims receive e-mails informing them they have won awards worth hundred of thousands of UAE dirhams so they send in advance some money to receive their award. But when they send the amounts, the victims discover they get duped.” Earlier, Interior Minister HH Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, stressed the role of family in enlightening youth about the risks of technology, urging them to guide the youth to use information technology for good purposes.
