Dubai Police warn of fake ads and cloned websites in UAE online scam surge
Dubai Police's Anti-Fraud Center says social media ads and copycat websites are driving a rise in online fraud. Victims are urged to report incidents immediately via e-Crime.
Dubai Police flag fake ads and cloned sites as UAE online fraud cases rise
Scammers are using social media advertisements and near-identical copies of legitimate websites to defraud UAE residents, Dubai Police have warned. khaleejtimes.com reports that the Anti-Fraud Center at Dubai Police has identified these methods as among the most common tools used by online fraudsters operating across the country.
Hamad Obaid Al Suwaidi, Director of the Anti-Fraud Center at Dubai Police, told Khaleej Times that the scale and sophistication of the schemes are growing. "Fraudsters use advertisements on social media and copy websites exactly like the original websites, with only a slight difference," he said.
That difference can be as small as a single altered character in a web address or a marginally different domain name — details easy to overlook when completing a transaction quickly.
No single target group
Dubai Police stressed that online fraud does not discriminate by age or background. Online shoppers, people seeking digital services and residents looking for routine everyday services have all been identified as potential targets.
The warning comes as reports of online fraud continue to rise, with scammers exploiting digital platforms to reach a broad cross-section of society.
How fraudsters operate
According to police, one of the most frequent mistakes victims make is failing to verify the identity of the seller or the authenticity of a website before completing a purchase. Residents are advised not to click on links simply because they appear in a private message or social media advertisement.
Instead, users should confirm the source of any link and verify the identity of the individual or organisation behind it — especially when the link directs to a payment page or requests banking and personal information.
Al Suwaidi also pointed to artificial intelligence as an accelerating factor. Fake calls and AI-generated communications are making fraudulent contact harder to detect, particularly for users with limited digital experience.
"Technology has contributed significantly, especially for people who do not have enough knowledge or experience, making it easier for them to fall into the trap of fraud," Al Suwaidi said.
What victims should do
For those who have already been defrauded, Dubai Police emphasised that an immediate response is essential. Victims are advised to secure or close any compromised account without delay and to report the incident through one of three channels: the e-Crime platform, Dubai Police's SPS service, or directly at a police station.
The warnings form part of a broader push by Dubai Police to raise digital awareness at a time when scammers are producing increasingly convincing content and communications designed to pass as authentic.
Source: Google News AE