Dubai Police deliver Eid warning over surge in online shopping scams

Fraudsters often impersonate some of the region's most popular brands in phishing attacks on customers

Customers are being warned about fake websites offering discounts or special offers. Getty Images

Dubai Police have urged the public not to fall foul of opportunistic cyber criminals exploiting a rise in online shopping during Eid Al Fitr.

The force issued a warning over fraudsters attempting to lure unsuspecting bargain hunters by offering discount deals on fake websites resembling those of established brands.

People who have place orders on such sites never received the items they paid for, police said.

Offenders withdraw money from customers' accounts once they enter their credit card details to make a purchase, said Major Gen Jamal Al Jallaf, director of the Criminal Investigation Department at Dubai Police.

Sophisticated crime

“Internet users should only purchase items online via trusted and verified websites,” he said. “Cyber crime is constantly evolving, especially in light of the overuse of social media and the increased number of people who liked online shopping.”

Dubai Police urged residents who suspect their information has been stolen to file a report using the force’s app, its e-crime website, by calling 901 or by visiting the nearest smart police station.

“The e-crime platform has significantly helped curb cyber crime and detect new methods of scamming people,” Major Gen Al Jallaf added.

Group-IB, a provider of cybersecurity solutions, identified thousands of scams on internet users in the Middle East and Africa.

In one case, criminals were found impersonating more than 200 of the MENA region's most prominent brands using a fake questionnaire.

“Users were promised a 'Ramadan gift' for filling out the survey,” Sharef Hlal, head of the digital risk protection analytics team at Group-IB, told The National. “But rather than receive a prize, individuals were redirected to other phishing sites that ask them to fill in their personal information.”

Once the scheme, which comprised more than 100,000 fake domains, was uncovered, Group-IB took down all the domains that purported to be well-known brands belonging to their clients.

Rise in scams during holidays

Mr Hlal said that holiday sales, such as those at Ramadan and Eid Al Fitr, tend to attract bargain hunters and online scammers alike.

“Festive periods are very often accompanied by an increase in scam activity,” he added. “The core aim of online scammers is to steal data. This includes the log-in credentials and passwords of user accounts, or individuals' bank card details.

“In order to trick unsuspecting users, scammers create convincing clones of the websites and social media pages of prominent brands.”

Mr Hlal added that scammers also try to start conversations on instant messaging apps in a ploy to fool

victims.

He urged the public to remain on guard at all times when browsing the internet, especially during the holidays.

“Make sure you double check the URLs of websites contained in promotional posts on social media and that messengers are genuine,” he added.

“We also recommend that users do not follow links from unknown sources, especially those that claim to be offering prizes or large discounts for completing a questionnaire.”

He also called on retailers to keep an eye on the internet and social media to detect any misuse of their brand's logo.

“If any violations are discovered, retailers should issue warnings to consumers.”

A survey by Toluna, a market research company, found consumers in the UAE intend to buy 33 per cent more this Ramadan and Eid than last year.

The report found this has risen in every industry, including entertainment.

“Eid holidays and festive long weekends have become one of the most lucrative times of the year for cyber criminals,” said Emad Fahmy, systems engineering manager for the Middle East at Netscout, an advanced network detection and response platform.

“There is a growing trend of consumers to shift their purchasing online,” Mr Fahmy told The National. “Cyber criminals profit from the surge in digital transactions and online shopping, which puts a tremendous amount of strain on online retailers.”

In April this year, two fraudsters were sentenced to one month in jail and deportation for luring an Emirati shopper to buy a motorbike online for Dhs22,000.

The two, from Nigeria, monitored the victim's buying trends and posted a social media advert in December last year. The shopper contacted them on WhatsApp to arrange payment for the bike.

The Emirati man ended up paying Dhs44,000 in advance to secure the motorbike, before scammers asked for extra sums for insurance, customs and shipping fees. The two men were arrested by Dubai Police in January.