The UAE Cybercrime Law No 5 of 2012 was issued by President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan in 2012, according to the UAE’s Official Gazette. It includes stern punishments that could go up to a life sentence and/or a fine varying between Dh50,000 and Dh3 million, depending on the severity and seriousness of the cybercrime.

You can report any criminal activity or cyber crimes of any nature to the Al Ameen services by calling their toll free number 8004888. Your details are kept confidential.

According a Gulf News report published in November, 2015, more than two million consumers in the UAE experienced cyber crime in 2015 and lost out on Dh4.9 billion. Each consumer lost close to 30 hours on average dealing with the consequences of cyber crime, which cost an average of Dh2,331 per person through the year. These figures were reported based on a survey conducted by Norton by Symantec.

The survey also showed that more than half of all UAE consumers reported that an account password had been compromised.

Some tips to tackle cyber crimes:

• Don’t make online transactions or access financial data when using public WiFi.

• Don’t send or post personal photos online.

• Use built-in security features on your devices.

• Use trusted websites.

• Download content from reliable sources.

• Don’t open emails from strangers as they may contain viruses.

• Block and report strangers if they’re sending you suspicious messages.

• Don’t share your passwords and change them regularly.

• If in doubt, don’t accept a friend request or click on an unknown link.

• Set privacy settings on social media.

• Don’t discuss private matters online or through a private chat.

• Don’t delete threatening emails. Save them as evidence for the authorities.

• Report any blackmailing or threats to the police.

• Don’t post personal information online, including home address and number.