UAE | General
Etisalat to take swift action against growing menace of Internet spam
Etisalat is devising new technological solutions to combat the growing menace of phoney e-mails (spam) and is stepping up its awareness campaign to protect Internet users.
- By Stanley Carvalho, Staff Reporter
- Published: 00:00 August 23, 2004
Etisalat is devising new technological solutions to combat the growing menace of phoney e-mails (spam) and is stepping up its awareness campaign to protect Internet users.
Criminal hackers continue to target unsuspecting customers of banks with fake e-mails, the latest being HSBC, after Citibank and Barclays.
Etisalat officials say they are aware of the spam or brand spoofing, and the danger it poses, hence swift action is being taken.
"Currently we are working towards developing technical solutions, a Net spam solution to reduce spam, if not eliminate it," said Abdullah Hashim, senior manager of eCompany, Etisalat's Internet services and total solutions business unit.
"We are evaluating various technologies, and in the next quarter it should be ready," he told Gulf News.
Hashim said the new wave of spam is extremely dangerous due to the criminal or fraudulent intent of hackers to obtain financial information by "masquerading" websites or messages.
It is easy to set up such websites but difficult to trace them.
"People run such websites for a day, capture information from about 100 people and then close down the website.
"People can be conned easily because the e-mails seem to be genuine although they are not."
Etisalat, he said, has been educating the public about spam.
"We are planning to run a continuous awareness campaign on spam. Also, the new solutions can reduce it but may not be able to completely eliminate it. We are working on a solution that would stop spam mail from reaching the mailboxes of users."
Meanwhile, a Dubai resident pointed out yet another fraudulent attempt to obtain bank details, this time believed to involve HSBC.
The sender, customersupport@hsbc.co.uk, stated: "Due to a technical update, we recommend you to reactivate your account and click on the link below to log in and using your updated HSBC account.
"To log into your account, visit the online banking http://hsbac.co.uk/"
An HSBC spokesman emphasised that the bank never asks its customers for information. "For Internet banking, we make it clear how they (customers) should use the ATM, credit card, their PIN numbers," he said.
"Even if our systems crash, we have back-up information about our customers," he said, adding customers are regularly warned about such scams.
Similar cases have been reported involving Citibank and Barclays in the recent past when customers were targeted by criminal hackers through fake websites.
Latest news
- Youngsters dance and raise cash for charity
- Dubai departments upgrade services
- Get yourself a free test for diabetes
- Ensuring a safety net for intellectual property
- Reader's issue addressed
- 5,552 illegals held in Dubai this year
- Man cleared because he took drugs in France
- Man charged with trafficking women
- Auditors to probe Mizin graft case
- Breaking down cultural barriers with photographs
- Abu Dhabi Crown Prince visits Islamic centre
- Police's secret source scheme reaps rewards
- Transfusion centre launches new toll free number
- Mirror, mirror show me the way
- Smart e-Gate system launched
Community Reports
-
Mirror, mirror show me the way
Driver on Salam Street had so many boxes and fruits piled into car, he would not be able to view rear or right side mirrors
-
Parents should be more vigilant
Reader's picture highlights risk of negligence by caretakers
-
Warming up to ‘Mobilise the Earth' theme
Dubai school dedicates a whole week to celebrating Earth Day with can-collection drives, sapling plantation and painting competition among others
-
Drivers using mobiles put others' lives at risk
Speeding is dangerous for the driver and other motorists
