UAE’s Telecom Regulator Warns Mobile Users About Scam Calls

The UAE’s Telecommunication Regulatory Authority (TRA) has warned the public about an increase in scam calls, with fraudsters claiming to be from an authorised national telephone service provider.

In a statement, the regulator said that it had recently detected several cases where UAE mobile phone users received such fraudulent calls.

The majority of the callers are aiming to illegally obtain bank account and important personal information – including passwords of both email and social networking accounts – through enticing mobile users with promises of cash prizes, the TRA said.

The regulator cautioned people that sharing personal information – via or a telephone call or by e-mail – should be avoided.

Mohamed Nasser Al Ghanim, TRA director general said: “With the pace of technological advancement we are witnessing today, hackers are able to create a plethora of new and innovative ways to obtain personal information illegally.

“This modern reality necessitates extra caution by customers when sharing any personal information with people via unreliable sources. In such situations, we recommend not responding to such requests for information and immediately reporting any incidents of this nature to the relevant emergency contact.”

The UAE has one of the highest smartphone penetration rates in the world at around 78 per cent, according to a recent survey by Nielson. The overall mobile penetration rate in the country is over 100 per cent.