Fraudulent messages will rise by 35% in 2025"Cyber security" Calls for reporting
Abu Dhabi, 1st February / WAM / The Cyber Security Council of the UAE Government warned of the dangers of various fraudulent messages targeting members of society, calling for the need to exercise caution and report these messages, delete them, and not interact with them, in addition to blocking unknown numbers and notifying the relevant authorities.
The Council pointed out that the increase in the rates of fraudulent messages by about 35% during the past year constitutes an increasing challenge for users, which requires adopting defensive tools and techniques based on knowledge, awareness, understanding the extent of the risks inherent in these practices, and enhancing capabilities that provide additional layers of protection and contribute to achieving greater speed and accuracy in detecting electronic fraud attempts and the use of fake identities.
In statements to the Emirates News Agency, WAM, the Cyber Security Council stressed the importance of raising awareness of electronic fraud methods, especially in light of the rapid technical developments and caution against electronic fraud, pointing out the necessity of avoiding any dealings with messages that may be linked to phishing or fraud via text messages.
The Council pointed out that fraudsters are now using advanced and modern methods that rely on impersonating official or governmental bodies or trustworthy institutions and companies with the aim of deceiving users and pushing them to disclose their personal or financial data.
The Cyber Security Council provided a set of tips to avoid falling victim to fraudulent messages, focusing on the necessity of always checking before clicking on any electronic links and verifying the sources of messages or advertisements that include requests for personal or financial information, pointing to a number of indicators through which fraudulent messages can be identified, the most prominent of which are that they bear a character of urgency, are not directed personally, or appear exaggeratedly tempting to be difficult to believe, in addition to their receipt from unknown numbers or contacts.
The Council has identified a range of common examples of fraudulent messages which include phrases such as: “You have won”, “You have a refund”, “Check your bank account” or “Offer on a discounted credit card”.
The Council pointed out that confronting this type of phishing and fraud begins with the individual by enhancing cyber culture and awareness of digital risks, stressing the necessity of not responding or interacting with fraudulent messages, blocking sent numbers, and avoiding clicking on any attached links, in addition to following preventive habits such as downloading applications that block spam messages and deleting unreliable messages periodically.
The Council added that electronic safety in the digital space has become a major challenge, pointing out that these preventive measures complement government efforts aimed at confronting current digital challenges.
It is worth noting that the “Cyber Pulse” awareness campaign launched by the Cyber Security Council comes within the UAE’s ongoing efforts to build a secure cyberspace that protects users from growing digital risks, and keeps pace with rapid technical developments within the framework of a comprehensive national vision that aims to enhance confidence in the country’s digital system, establish a culture of cybersecurity, raise the level of digital awareness among families and individuals, and enhance cybersecurity practices to ensure the safety and privacy of citizens and residents in the era of accelerating digital transformation.
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