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29 March 2024

Calls, messages of UAE residents not recorded

A poster released by the General Department of Emergency and Security Facilities – as part of Dubai Police's awareness campaign. (File)

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By Staff

Calls and text messages of UAE residents are not recorded, clarified a top official of Al Ameen Security Services of Dubai Police.

Khalil Al Ali said there is no truth to rumours circulating about breaching and recording voice calls and text messages of residents, reported 'Al Bayan'.

There is no violation to the privacy of residents, he stressed. The rumours are spread with intention of sedition and to disturb the security of citizens and residents without reason, he said.

Ali said people download apps without reading and understanding the privacy terms, and often agree to their terms of data transfer on their device, thereby, exposing their name, address and location.

Ali said, in fact, some applications seek approval for allowing the FBI to use information on the personal account. This is a serious violation of subscribers’ privacy. The information could also be used for criminal operations and the person may find themselves in real danger.

He urged residents to read the terms and conditions carefully before downloading any application.

Cyber extortion

Ali said about 20,000 people from the Gulf were victims of sexual extortion gangs last year. One of the victims paid nearly Dh200,000 to protect himself after being blackmailed electronically by a gang. Then Al Ameen Service in cooperation with the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority traced the location of the blackmailer and helped the person.

In another incident, Ali said, a young girl attempted suicide after being cheated by a person who filmed her naked.

Ali warned users of photo messaging site Snapchat, especially girls who post pictures because their personal photos are being saved on the server that manages the application. There were reports in the media that about 600,000 pictures being allegedly hacked from the site’s server.

He added social networking sites are valued according to the volume of information provided by subscribers, and said that the value of Instagram has jumped to $1bn. Whatsapp was sold recently for $19bn, he added.

Friendship with strangers

Ali asked residents not to bow down to cyber extortion and blackmail and urged public not to make payments under threat in order to protect personal photos. And most importantly, he called on people not to accept friendship requests from unknown people.

Ali was speaking on the sidelines of a seminar by the General Department of Emergency and Security Facilities – as part of Dubai Police’s awareness campaign.

The seminar was attended by Brigadier Abdulla Ali Al Ghaithi, Director of the department, and Ghaith Al Mazina, Acting  Manager of services quality information security in TRA, apart from other officers and staff.