WhatsApp-a social app that most have access to. But also one of the platforms where users are attacked with scams.
The latest scam that has been doing the rounds on WhatsApp and SMSes across the UAE, where recipients of a fraudulent message are being asked to participate in a “SIM Card Lucky Draw Comption” (sic).
The scammers claim to be offering Dh200,000 as cash prize and are demanding the numbers written on the back side of the SIM card, along with
The message reads, “Dear customer, you are a great lucky winner from Du and Etisalat telecommunications with the participation of Dubai Islamic Bank for a 200,000AED cash prize. please contact the number below to claim your prize.”
Don’t fall for it. This is a hoax meant to cull sensitive information.
Another one that circulated the social sites a couple of days ago was where Adidas was giving away shoes to celebrate its 93rd anniversary.
But it is actually elaborate scam which could end up with personal details being handed to cybercriminals, experts have warned.
It has been reported that the malicious scam has already duped thousands
Adidas has confirmed that the message is a hoax.
READ ALSO: Incoming Call…Scammer calling….New WhatsApp scam to look out for
HOW TO LOOK OUT FOR SCAMS
Below are a few obvious tell-tale signs of a scam message that you should ignore. Or report to the police immediately, if it starts getting out of hand.
Grammatically incorrect
This is the first and obvious point. Look out for basic capitalization, punctuation and sentence structure.
URGENT! READ THIS POINT RIGHT NOW!
Scammers love enticing people with words and phrases that are designed to grab your attention and possibly scare you. Capital letters screaming out “URGENT ACTION NOW” or “CONTACT IMMEDIATELY”tend to worry you a bit and leads to panic, which could then lead to irrational decisions.
If this does happen and you’re still in doubt, contact the company they are trying to impersonate directly, never reply to the SMS, never call the number in the message and Never. Click. The. Hyperlink.
Never click the hyperlink
Usually, scammers encourage you to click through links, which look rather similar to well-known brands and companies, such as telecom and service providers, or even banks. Every hyperlink and URL is unique, while these links look identical at first glance, you will always find it a bit off. When in doubt – get out.
SMS sender names
There are apps, programmes, and websites that send out bulk SMS messages with custom names. Just look at your messages right now with promotional and marketing material sent across with brand names instead of numbers. These services are open to all at a small fee, and sometimes free as well. Scammers primarily use these to send out messages urging you to click through to a fake link and then submit your account details and passwords, which they can then store and use against you.
Personal information
If any of these messages require your email address, password or bank account details – ignore it immediately. Banks in the UAE regularly send out reminders that they never require this information from you. This is personal to you and you alone – and not privy to your bank as well.
Always verify before forwarding
A quick and easy way to do this is by Googling a part of the SMS with Snopes.com towards the end of the search. Or head to Snopes.com directly, the fact-checking site verifies or squashes myths and rumors that are generally circulated through email, SMS or WhatsApp forwards.
NOTE: If scammers continue to call you, do not engage or encourage them. Report the number the police immediately.
Lastly, secure your smartphone. Downloading a simple antivirus can help.
Check out these recommended McAfee Mobile Security for iPhones and AVL for Android devices.
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