Several banks in the UAE have reached out to their customers via email and text messages to warn them against falling victim to well-crafted fraud schemes from certain gangs in various ways, urging them to immediately report any suspicious activity. The warnings included receiving messages or calls from individuals impersonating bank employees, police officers, government officials, delivery companies, or telecommunications providers, aiming to obtain personal data for fraudulent activities.
Banks advised caution and urged customers to cease engagement with any messages or calls requesting account numbers, identification numbers, email addresses, or one-time passwords (OTPs) sent by their respective banks. They highlighted several questions customers should consider, such as whether the caller named the bank they claim to represent or just stated they were calling from "the bank you deal with," if the caller had access to any recent messages left on the bank's social media, why the caller needs the OTP sent by the bank, and if the call was made from a mobile phone instead of a landline.
The statement sent by several banks to customers clarified that the bank would never disclose personal data in this manner and emphasized the importance of never sharing the OTP with anyone, as possessing it could enable someone to conduct fraudulent activities.
