UAE Warns Public Of Scammers Posing As Government Officials

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)

UAE residents have been warned about scammers impersonating the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Mofa) to defraud people online.

In an alert issued via social media platform X, the Ministry cautioned against fraudulent activities misusing its name and urged the public to remain vigilant.

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To prevent residents from falling victims to these scams, the Ministry clarified that its only official contact number is 0097180044444, while the emergency contact number for UAE citizens abroad is 0097180024. It also reassured the public that all official services are fully digital and adhere to the highest security standards.

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Authorities have repeatedly warned about scams involving impersonation of law enforcement agencies, banks, and government institutions. Dubai Police and the Ministry of Interior (MOI) frequently issue alerts, reminding residents that official entities will never request sensitive information such as banking details or UAE Pass authorisations via unsolicited emails or messages.

Rising cyber threats in the UAE

The warning comes amid growing cybersecurity concerns, with officials revealing that the UAE faces over 50,000 cyberattacks daily , many of which are backed by hostile states or terrorist organisations.

Dr Mohammed Hamad Al Kuwaiti, Chairman of the UAE Cybersecurity Council, emphasised that the country's advanced AI-driven cybersecurity systems are capable of detecting and neutralising most threats before they occur.

How to spot scams

Scammers often use sophisticated techniques to trick individuals into providing personal information. Vishing (voice phishing) and smishing - phishing scam that occurs via SMS (text messaging) are some of the most prevalent methods. Through vishing and smishing, fraudsters impersonate police officers, ministry officials, or bank representatives, pressuring victims into authorising UAE Pass requests or making urgent payments.

To avoid falling victim to these scams, residents should watch for the following red flags :

Poor grammar and misspelled words in messages

Calls or texts from unknown numbers that do not display the official name of an authority

Requests for immediate payments or clicking on suspicious links

Emails or messages asking for sensitive personal or financial information

Authorities continue to urge the public to remain cautious and verify any communication claiming to be from an official entity before responding.

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