The UAE Cyber Council has warned that scam messages have risen by 35% in the past year, pointing to a sharp increase in SMS-Based Fraud across the UAE. The council says common scam texts often open with lines such as “You have won” or “You are entitled to a refund,” designed to catch attention and prompt quick action.
In a public advisory, the UAE Cyber Security Council urged people to delete suspicious messages immediately, block unknown numbers, and notify relevant authorities. It stressed that heightened awareness and informed digital behaviour are now essential layers of protection as online scams become more sophisticated.
Fraudsters use government entities, official institutions, and trusted companies as their main disguise to create credibility. A message that appears to be from a bank may ask to ‘Verify your bank account.’ Another message will present a ‘Discounted credit card offer.’
These techniques belong to general cyber threats, which use urgent situations and established trust to convince users to disclose their sensitive data.
The council showed specific warning indicators. The warning signs of the message should be handled with caution because it contains urgent content that is not personalized and presents an unrealistically attractive offer from unknown phone numbers.
A typical situation involves a late-night text message that says that a refund will expire soon. The pressure to act quickly is the trap.
Protecting against Cybersecurity risks begins with individual responsibility. The council advised people not to reply to suspicious messages, avoid clicking embedded links, block senders, use spam-filtering apps, and regularly delete untrusted messages.
Verifying sources before responding can stop most scams. Consider linking to guides on spotting phishing attempts and securing mobile devices.
The modern tech space faces digital security challenges due to its expanding internet connectivity. People now take personal security measures that work together with government security programs to fight against new cyber threats.
As scams grow more convincing, everyday awareness is becoming one of the strongest lines of defense.