Dubai: The Cyber Security Council (CSC) has issued a warning about the dangers of fraudulent messages targeting citizens, emphasizing the various risks they pose. The council has urged the public to remain vigilant, report scammers, delete any fraudulent messages, refrain from interacting with them, block unknown numbers, and immediately notify the relevant authorities.
According to Emirates News Agency, the CSC stressed the importance of caution and vigilance against cyber fraud, emphasizing the need for blocking activities potentially linked to phishing or SMS-based scams. Fraudsters, the council noted, are increasingly employing advanced methods of deception, such as requesting personal information or impersonating official or government entities, institutions, or trusted companies to gain users' trust and extract sensitive personal and financial data.
The council highlighted the necessity of exercising constant caution before clicking on any electronic links and verifying advertisements and the sources of messages that contain links or request personal or financial information. It outlined several indicators for identifying fraudulent messages, such as messages conveying urgency, lacking personalization, appearing "too good to be true," and typically originating from unknown numbers or contacts. Common scam messages often include phrases such as "You have won," "You are entitled to a refund," "Verify your bank account," or "Exclusive discounted credit card offer," among others.
The CSC affirmed that combating phishing and cyber fraud starts at the individual level through enhanced cyber awareness and a strong cybersecurity culture. It urged users to follow key practices, including refraining from responding to or engaging with suspicious messages, blocking the sender's number, and avoiding clicking on any embedded links.
The weekly Cyber Pulse awareness message also encouraged adopting preventive habits to reduce future exposure to fraudulent messages, such as installing applications that block spam messages and regularly deleting untrusted messages. The council noted that fraudulent messages have increased by approximately 35 percent over the past year, presenting users with increasingly complex challenges in combating fraud. This situation necessitates adopting defensive tools and technologies grounded in knowledge, awareness, and a clear understanding of the risks associated with these emerging fraudulent practices.
The CSC concluded by affirming that cybersecurity safety in the digital space has become a major challenge. These preventive measures, the council stated, complement ongoing government efforts to address current digital challenges driven by rapid technological evolution.