Dubai Police have arrested 13 individuals belonging to three criminal gangs in a major operation targeting phone-based banking scams. The suspects, all of Asian origin, were detained for defrauding residents by impersonating officials and extracting sensitive financial data.
Authorities announced the arrests on Thursday and described the tactics used by the criminals.
"The gang members impersonated officials from agencies like the police and banks, contacting citizens and residents under the pretence of needing to update their banking information, pay traffic fines, or resolve residency issues. They exploited these claims to gain access to victims' bank accounts and steal their money”, Dubai Police said.
The gangs reportedly employed advanced methods to deceive victims.
“The gangs employed sophisticated tactics to convince victims to share sensitive information related to their bank cards, such as the three-digit CVV and one-time passwords (OTP). They took advantage of people's trust in official entities”, authorities added.
Photos released by the police showed blurred images of the arrested suspects and the equipment used in their fraudulent activities.
“The arrests of these gangs are part of (our) ongoing efforts to combat cyber fraud and protect the community from falling victim to such scams through continuous awareness campaigns", Dubai Police added.
The police reminded the public that financial institutions do not request personal or banking details through unofficial communication channels.
“Banks would never request customers to share their banking or personal information through text messages, emails, or phone calls claiming to update their accounts".
Dubai Police urged anyone who receives suspicious messages or calls to report them through the nearest police station, the "eCrime" platform at http://www.ecrime.ae, or via the Dubai Police app.
Dubai Police Arrest 13 in Phone Scam Gangs Posing as Officials