Fake Job Offers to Goverment Notices: UAE Banks Alert Residents to Surge in Scams

From fake job offers to passport suspension scams and impersonations of government officials, fraudsters are employing numerous tactics to obtain personal and financial information from bank customers.

Local banks frequently remind their customers of these risks through regular emails and messages.
Here is a list of eight scams that the UAE’s leading banks have cautioned their customers about:

Recharge Your Mobile or Toll Account: When browsing online, fraudulent websites may sometimes appear in search engine results, mimicking legitimate sites. Residents are advised to always ensure that the link or domain name is authentic and to look for security locks and certifications.

Customers should always double-check the amount and currency of the recharge, as well as the merchant’s name, before confirming any transactions.

Mismatched IBAN: Banks urge customers to avoid mistakenly transferring funds to scammers by ensuring that the IBAN matches the account name to which they are transferring funds.

Unrealistic Job Offers: Occasionally, residents receive messages from scammers offering to pay $500 (Dh1,835) a day, which can be quite tempting.

Be cautious of scammers posing as recruitment managers from global companies offering enticing side-hustle opportunities via unknown WhatsApp numbers, SMS, or emails.

Loyalty Programme Scams: Some fraudsters send messages to residents claiming they have reward points that will expire 'today', urging them to log in to certain websites to claim the rewards.

Banks in the UAE advise customers to be wary of SMS or messages claiming that their points are about to expire. Fraudsters can steal money or personal information when individuals log in to redeem these points.

Fake Calls or Messages About Bank Details or Credit Cards: Imposters may pose as companies or suppliers, attempting to extract personal information and bank details to credit money into their accounts.

Customers should always verify such requests with authorised representatives of the relevant company before taking any action.

Impersonation of Government Officials: Recently, a new scam has emerged targeting UAE residents by falsely claiming that their passports have been suspended and requesting residential addresses to avoid fines. Customers are advised to block and report such messages immediately.

Social Engineering Fraud: Banks advise customers to be cautious and avoid falling victim to social engineering fraud. When responding to unknown individuals on social media and sharing personal information such as one-time passwords (OTPs), people risk financial losses and other breaches of personal data.

Call from Bank: Some scammers may call customers pretending to be bank officials and request details related to their accounts. Banks will never call customers asking for account or fund details.

Therefore, customers should hang up immediately and report the call to their bank or relevant authorities, as fraudsters often hide behind fake calls and tempting offers.

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