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Abu Dhabi customs warn residents against fraudulent message circulating online
The authority advised the public to refrain from clicking on any suspicious links
- PUBLISHED: Wed 12 Aug 2026, 4:18 PM
As scammers continue to develop their fraudulent ways to access people's personal data and steal their money, an Abu Dhabi authoriy has warned the public on Wednesday against fake messages that are circulating, advising residents to follow certain guidelines to protect themselves online.
The Abu Dhabi Customs used their social media channels to issue an importants notice regarding a fraudulent message titled: "Official Customs Hold Notice – Customs Tariff Classification Required (Harmonized System)", warning anyone who receives this online message not to respond to it. For any inquiries or support from the authority, residents may call 800 555.
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The authority said that those who send these message impersonate Abu Dhabi Customs and ask recipients to access suspicious links or provide personal information, stressing that these messages do not represent official communications issued by Abu Dhabi Customs.
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As part of its advisory, the Abu Dhabi Customs published guidlines for the public to protect their information online:
Do not click on any anonymous or suspicious link
Do not share your personal data or sensitive information
Verify the source of the message before taking any action or making any payments
Ignore suspicious messages and do not engage with them
Authorities in the UAE regularly warn residents against scammers and their increasingly innovative ways to manipulate. Beyond these advisories, action has been taken to help protect residents.
In Dubai, police shut down 103 fraudulent social media accounts during the second quarter of 2026 as part of efforts to protect residents from online scams. The action came amid repeated warnings about fraudsters using social media platforms and messaging applications to advertise services and offers that do not exist.
Earlier in August, the Dubai Police sent a message to reassure residetns, saying that artificial intelligence and crime-data analysis were increasingly being used to support investigations and identify emerging threats, allowing officers to move from responding to offences towards anticipating and preventing them.
The public, however, are advised to remain vigilant.
Yasmin Hussein is an Assistant Digital Editor who believes that every news story carries a human element. Her motto is 'get it first, but first get it right'.