What to do if you get a message asking for UAE bank details

Dubai - Phone fraud comes in several forms.

With a large number of phone fraud complaints recorded in Ajman, the police on Sunday launched an awareness campaign to warn the public about such scams and urge them to report cases via their smart app.
Phone fraud comes in several forms, said Lt-Col Ahmed Saeed Al Nuaimi, director of CID at the Ajman Police.
Some scammers contact potential victims, saying they have won huge cash prizes, while others steal bank account details by convincing people that their accounts will be frozen if they don't provide their personal information.
There are also fraudsters who send victims to a certain sites for various 'reasons' - like made-up traffic offences or vehicle registration expiry. These fake sites would then ask people to enter private data that criminals can use to hack bank accounts.
"Never share any confidential information, such as account numbers, card numbers, passwords, personal identification codes, one-time PINs, and security codes behind cards," said Lt-Col Al Nuaimi.
Victims who receive these suspicious messages - via SMS, WhatsApp, Facebook, e-mail, or any other means - are urged to get in touch with the Ajman Police via their app or through the hotline 067034317.
Every report about these phone frauds can help the police track down the criminals and put them behind bars, the officer added.
Recently, the Ajamn Police, in coordination with Abu Dhabi and Sharjah Police, arrested three gangs comprising 25 Asians believed to behind phone scams in the emirate.
"Two gangs were arrested in Sharjah, while the third one with 11 members was caught in Ajman," Lt-Col Al Nuaimi said. Forged documents and mobile phones that were used in the crime were also recovered.
afkarali@khaleejtimes.com
 

• Ajman