UAE: Abu Dhabi Police warn against fake property ads on social media
Criminals found to withdraw money from victims’ bank accounts after gathering details
Abu Dhabi: Police in Abu Dhabi have warned the public against falling victim to fake ads on social media offering properties for sale or rent at cheap prices.
The cyber criminals gather financial information of interested buyers and potential tenants and use the data to withdraw money from their accounts.
Police urged community members to check the validity of the offers directly with the developers or authorised real estate offices and ensure the property is registered in the government sector concerned.
Residents have been advised to visit the nearest police station quickly to report any calls received by anonymous people or if they are exposed to fraud. They can also call 8002626 or send a text on 2828.
The police warning comes after an increase in cases of fraud in real estate sales through social media and websites.
The police also asked people to avoid clicking on suspicious links and not to share confidential information with anyone, pointing out that banks will never ask passwords for online banking services, personal identification numbers for ATMs, the security number (CCV) on bank cards, or OTPs (one time passwords sent to the customer).