Residents' alert: New WhatsApp scam in UAE can access your contacts

Top Stories

Embracing the bright side: A guide on how to cultivate optimism

The power of solitude: Why you should go on a solo trip

How to get your kids to read: Essential tips for parents

Residents alert: New WhatsApp scam in UAE can access your contacts

Sharjah - Residents should be on guard against all suspicious activities.

By Afkar Abdullah/ Web Report

Published: Mon 25 Jun 2018, 3:49 PM

Last updated: Mon 25 Jun 2018, 4:11 PM

Have you received WhatsApp messages from friends, acquaintances or relatives, asking for cash? They are fake, the Sharjah Police have affirmed. They are sent out by cyber criminals after gaining access to your friends' contact lists.
They gain access to WhatsApp accounts because unsuspecting residents are gullible enough to share their personal data like credit card details, usernames and passwords.

???? ??????? ???? ?? ????? ????? ??? ?????? ??????? ????????? . . ??? ??? ??????? ??????????? ?????? ???????? ???????? ???????? ????????? ?????? ????? ??????? ?????? ??????? ?????? ??? ?????? ?????? ?? ??????? ?????????? ???? ???????? ??? ???? ?????? ?? ????????? ??? ????? ?????? ??????? ????????? ???? ???? ????????? ??????? ?????? ??? ????? ?????????? ?????? ???? ?????? ?????? ???????? ?????? . ????? ??????? ?????? ???? ???? ???? ???? ??? ????? ??????? ?????? ???????? ???????? ???????? ????? ??????? ??? ???? ????????? ???? ?????? ??? ????? ??????? ??????????? ??? ?????? ??? ?????? ???? ????? ??? ????? ??????? ?????? ???????? ?? ?????? ?????? ???????????? ?? ??????? ???? ??????? ????? ???? ???????? ??????? ?? ??????? ???? ?????? ????? ??????? ?? ??? ????????? ??? ???????? ??????? ?????? ?????? ???? ??????? ?? ?????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ??? ?????? ??? ????? ??? ??? ??????? ????? ???????? ??? ????? ????? ???? ??? ???? ??????? ???? ???? ???? ?????? ??? ????? ?? ??? ?? ??? ???? ??? ??? ?? ??? ???????? ?????? ??? ??? ??? ??????? ???? ??? ??? ??????? ??? ????? ?????????? ????? ?? ????????? ?? ??? ???? ??? ?????? ??? ???????? ???? ??? ?? ??? ??????? ???? ????? ???? ?????? ?? ???????? ???? ???? ????? ?????? ???? ???????? ????? ?????? ???? ?????? ?? ????? ?????? ? ??? ???? ????? ??? ?????? ?? ??? ??????? ??????????? ???? ??????? . ?? ????? ??? ?????? ??????? ???? ?????? ???? ????? ???????? ?????? ??????? ????? ???????: ????? ?????? ??????? ?? ?????? ??????? ?????? ?????? ????? ????? ????? ????????? ??? ????? ??????? ?????????? ????? ?? ???? ???? ????? ???? ?????? ????? ??????? ??? ????? ?? ??????? ? ?????? ????? ??????? ?????? ?????? ?? ????????? ?? ???? ??? ????? ?? ?????? ?? ??????? ??????? ?????? ?????? ??????? ?????? ??????? ??? ?????? ???? ???????? ? ???? ????? ??????? ??? ???? ????? ???? ??? ??? ?????? ?? ????? ???? ?????? ??????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ?? ???? ????????? . ????? ?????? ?????? ????? ??????? ?????? ????? ?????? ??????? ?? ???? ???? ????? ???? ??? ??????? ??? ????? 065943228 ?? ?????? Tec_crimes@shjpolice.gov.ae?????? ???? ??? ??? ??????? ??? ???? ?? ????????. .
A post shared by ???? ??????? (@shjpolice) on Jun 24, 2018 at 9:17am PDT

A police official said that criminals would pretend to be employees of telecom companies or major department store chains and send messages to residents, informing them they had won 'grand prizes'. To 'claim the prize', residents were asked to send activation codes of WhatsApp account verification codes. Once this was submitted, the cyber criminals would get access to the resident's contact list and send the fake appeal for cash.
Captain Mohsin Mohammed, director of the IT department, Sharjah Police, said they have received a "large number of complaints" from residents who were cheated after they responded to such messages.
"The police have dealt with many such cases and managed to track down cyber thieves who impersonated employees of telecom companies and hypermarket chains," said Captain Mohammed.
Colonel Ibrahim Musabah Al Ajil, director of the criminal investigations department, said crime methods are constantly evolving as technology advances.
Victims of such crimes should call Sharjah Police on the following contact number 065943228, or email at Tec_crimes@shjpolice.gov.ae. All contact will be kept strictly confidential.
afkarali@khaleejtimes.com