Dubai Police Warning: Fraudulent Links Impersonating 'Consumer Protection'

The Anti-Fraud Center at the General Department of Criminal Investigation of Dubai Police has warned against opening electronic links or downloading any unknown programs claiming to be affiliated with “Consumer Protection,” following repeated fraudulent attempts in which scammers impersonate this entity to deceive victims and steal their money.

The Anti-Fraud Center stressed the need to verify that official Consumer Protection channels are being used when submitting complaints, and not to share banking information with any unauthorized party.

The Center emphasized the importance of raising public awareness of this fraudulent method, in which scammers use electronic links that lead to fake websites impersonating “Consumer Protection,” exploiting them to access victims’ phone data through malicious remote-control programs, with the aim of transferring money from their accounts.

The Center explained that a victim who wishes to file a complaint against an entity may search for a website to submit a complaint to Consumer Protection, enter one of these fake websites, and provide personal information, including name, email address, phone number, and the subject of the complaint. The scammer then contacts the victim directly, claiming to be an official employee, and repeats the details of the complaint submitted through the website to create a false sense of credibility.

The Center added that after gaining the victim’s trust, the scammer asks the victim to download remote-control programs, then asks them to access their bank account while these programs are running, enabling the scammer to view the phone screen, steal banking account data, and use it for financial transfers or illegal purchases.

The Center clarified that these malicious programs used by scammers are designed to remotely control victims’ computers and smartphones, as they mirror the contents of the device, giving them full ability to view confidential data and use it illegally.

The Anti-Fraud Center called on members of the community to report any similar attempts immediately through the eCrime platform or by calling 901, in order to protect their money and personal data.