ABU DHABI: Shopping scams and identity theft are the most common types of scams committed in the UAE, followed by investment rackets in third place, a new study has found.
On average, 1.77 scams are reported per victim, indicating that scam victims are likely to be retargeted. Despite this, only 30 per cent of the UAE population reports scams to law enforcement, key findings of the study by the UAE Government’s Cybersecurity Council and TRENDS Research & Advisory, have revealed.
The survey results, disclosed at the conclusion of the third edition of the Global Media Congress, showed that 65 per cent of the respondents expressed confidence in their ability to identify fraud, while 9 per cent indicated they lack confidence in reliably recognising scams.
Conducted in collaboration with the Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA) and BioCatch, the study showed that 56 per cent of the UAE population receives a scam attempt at least once per month. Only 12 per cent of respondents stated they are rarely confronted by scams. Additionally, 20 per cent of respondents said the number of scam attempts they face is similar to last year (2023), while 43 per cent reported encountering more scams and 37 per cent experienced fewer scams compared to the previous year.
Misuse of AI
According to WAM, the study confirmed that most UAE citizens are aware that scammers can use AI against them. Awareness of AI-generated text and images is high, but complex AI chats and videos are slightly less known. Fifty per cent of respondents believe they have encountered an AI scam in the last 12 months. 30 per cent of respondents were uncertain, while 20 per cent believe they were subjected to scams using artificial intelligence.
The poll, which formed the basis of the study “The 2024 State of Scams in the United Arab Emirates”, surveyed 1,964 citizens. Among the respondents, 59 per cent hold university degrees and 24 per cent have postgraduate degrees.
The survey showed that the majority of scams are delivered via instant messaging tools, with WhatsApp being the most misused platform for scam delivery. Phone calls and text/SMS messages are also common mediums for scams, followed by email in fourth place. Gmail, Facebook, Instagram, and Outlook round out the top five digital platforms most commonly exploited by scammers.
Swift swindles
The survey also found that 49 per cent of scams are completed within 24 hours of first contact. Of these, 33 per cent occurred within minutes, while 7 per cent involved a “long con” lasting a year or more. Additionally, 69 per cent of victims realised on their own that they had been scammed, while 21 per cent were notified by their banks. Twenty seven per cent of respondents reported losing money to scams, with an average loss of $2,194.
Credit cards and bank transfers are the top payment methods exploited by scammers. PayPal and peer-to-peer apps are also popular tools used to collect stolen funds. According to the survey, only 9 per cent of victims were able to fully recover their losses, while 19 per cent did not attempt to recover their funds. Additionally, 57 per cent tried, but were unable to recover any money.
Emotional impact
Scams have a significant emotional impact, with 59 per cent of victims reporting strong emotional distress. Consequently, 62 per cent of the UAE population expressed reduced trust in the Internet due to scams.
The reasons behind the success of scams vary. Twenty three per cent of respondents said they were enticed by the scammer’s offer, while 30 per cent reported failing to detect the scam in time or lacking the knowledge to recognise it.
The survey findings also showed that 32 per cent of respondents take precautions such as checking email addresses and reviewing websites to determine their legitimacy. Furthermore, 30 per cent of respondents share their scam experiences with family and friends.
However, 18 per cent of respondents admitted they do not know where to report a scam. Other reasons for not reporting include the belief that the process is too complicated, uncertainty over whether it was a scam, or the perception that reporting would not make a difference.
