Bitcoin Scam Targets Abu Dhabi Resident, Deceiving Followers of Thousands of Dirhams

An Abu Dhabi resident recently became the target of a Bitcoin scam, leading to the hacking of her Instagram account and subsequent fraud on her followers. The scammers managed to lure her contacts into losing tens of thousands of dirhams by promising substantial returns on fake investments.

It all started when Tamim, a Palestinian Canadian first-aid trainer, received a message from someone impersonating the brother of an old friend. The scammer persuaded her to invest in Bitcoin, asking her to share a code sent to her phone. Upon sharing it, Tamim lost access to her Instagram account, which the hackers then used to send her followers enticing images of golden coins and cash, coupled with messages suggesting large profits.

While Tamim herself avoided monetary loss, several of her followers fell for the trap. Over the next two weeks, the hacker managed to deceive multiple victims, with one follower losing $30,000, thinking it was a genuine invitation to invest. Others from Dubai and Saudi Arabia lost substantial sums, borrowing money from family or using credit cards to make payments, believing they were joining a lucrative opportunity.

After multiple unsuccessful attempts to recover her account through Instagram, Tamim ultimately paid a local IT agent to close it, realizing the extent of the harm being done. She has since opened a new account and is now more cautious, avoiding messages from unknown contacts and refraining from opening suspicious links.

Lt Col Ali Al Nuaimi, Head of Cyber Crime Security at Abu Dhabi Police, emphasized that such incidents often occur through social engineering rather than direct hacking. Scammers trick users into handing over login details, then use these accounts to deceive friends and followers. According to Al Nuaimi, this tactic is a common method for cybercriminals to gain trust and carry out fraudulent activities under a guise of familiarity.

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