Dubai: More and more unsuspecting residents are falling victim to identity theft, experts say, leaving them facing legal action over unpaid loans, maxed-out credit cards and phone bills, all fraudulently taken out in their name.
In today’s digital world, with personal and financial details floating about in an endless ocean of data, anyone can be a victim of cybercrime, which is locked into a perpetual race against anti-fraud technology.
Some of the cases are high-tech, making it virtually impossible to catch the perpetrators. However, some cases are the result of glaring oversight of paperwork and procedures.
A Dubai woman’s identity was stolen to take out loans and credit cards worth around Dh1 million, from five UAE banks, one of which processed her “application” with a man’s photo. In another case, a woman whose wallet was stolen, which included her ID, was shocked to learn a man had subscribed to phone lines in her name, many times over.
Another fraud was accomplished even though the signatures of the imposter and the victim were nothing alike, the salary certificate was fake and the victim wasn’t even in the country at the time.
Law enforcement agencies, tech experts and legal specialists have repeatedly urged residents to stay vigilant and guarded regarding their documents, ID cards and online transactions.
But as criminal tactics and technology continue to evolve, almost on a daily basis, is there any safe haven for our identity, be it represented on paper or digitally?
Gulf News spoke to identity theft victims and experts in the field to bring you a comprehensive overview of the issue, which potentially impacts everyone with a name and face on record.
