The Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) has warned consumers to be on their guard against scam messages being sent out via Whatsapp.
Fraudulent messages claiming to be from the CBUAE or banks operating in the country are being sent out.
A statement from the central bank said: “CBUAE advises to avoid responding to such messages, and opening any hyperlink that may be attached, which may provide exposure to a malicious website.
“The public should be aware that CBUAE never uses social media to contact individuals or businesses. The CBUAE reminds consumers of the importance of protecting their bank account information and credit/debit cards from fraud and unauthorised use.”
It comes just months after the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) warned UAE residents that impersonators were posing as celebrities and claiming to promote the UAE’s campaign on tolerance in order to hack into unsuspecting users’ accounts.
Scammers reportedly created fake profiles of popular individuals and reached out to Whatsapp users.