Dubai: You received a text message on the mobile phone, which claims that you won an absurd amount of cash as a prize. So what next?
Abu Dhabi Police are warning residents not to fall prey to scams related to ‘cash prizes’, after the number of related incidents reported to authorities have significantly increased in the last three years.
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Brigadier Mohammad Suhail Al Rashidi, Acting Criminal Security Director at Abu Dhabi Police, pointed out that with telephone scams on an upward trend, police have been required to beef up their efforts in carrying out more regular, and consistent, public awareness campaigns.
Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank has also collaborated with police to spread awareness among customers, and have informed their clients never to share sensitive information, including bank account numbers passwords, PINs and security codes.
Protect yourself from becoming a victim
Brig Al Rashidi emphasised the top five ways on how to deal with electronic scams:
- Never interact with strange numbers
- Always maintain the confidentiality of personal financial information
- Immediately inform security services after receiving a suspicious telephone call
- Take extra caution when handling unknown telephone messages and calls
- Always verify the source
Residents are urged to call police immediately if they receive dubious messages on their mobile phones, and can contact Abu Dhabi Police’s toll-free number on 8002626, or send an SMS to 2828.
