UAE authority denies viral social media post about phone hackers

Authorities in the UAE have denied a viral social media post that suggests it is possible for scammers to steal residents’ personal information via a phone call.

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A post going viral on WhatsApp attributes the fake information to the UAE’s Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA).

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The fake post ‘warns’ residents against receiving or making phone calls from or to six phone numbers and three country codes. The message suggests that scammers can access information like contact lists and banking info “within three seconds”.

The TDRA took to Twitter on Sunday to debunk the rumour.

#important notice

This news was not released by TDRA and is incorrect pic.twitter.com/6OHXbo3v0L

— TDRA (@tdrauae) July 25, 2021

“This news was not released by the TDRA and is incorrect,” the authority posted. “The TDRA confirms that it is not possible to hack a phone or steal data by making or receiving phone calls.”

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Authorities have, time and again, warned residents to never divulge personal information or banking details to anyone who may call. Scammers usually call, posing as banking agents, to get sensitive information from vulnerable residents.

sahim@khaleejtimes.com