10.02 AM Friday, 29 March 2024
  • City Fajr Shuruq Duhr Asr Magrib Isha
  • Dubai 04:56 06:10 12:26 15:53 18:37 19:52
29 March 2024

Mobile phone users warned on ‘prize’ scams

Published
By Staff

The Emirates Society for Consumer Protection has warned the general public from falling prey to scams runs on “prize winning alerts” sent on mobile telephones.

The consumer rights body asked people to be cautious and ignore such messages that usually lead the gullible to parting with personal or banking data, Sharjah-based Arabic language daily Al Khaleej reported.

While SMS messages are the usual bait, voice calls are also used in some cases.

The body also asked recipients of such messages or calls to approach the telecom authorities or police so that the perpetrators can be brought to book.

Confirming the menace, Dr Juma Bilal Fairouz, Chairman of the society said several complaints have already received on such scams from consumers who bit the bait.

They were mostly duped after responding to either SMS or voice calls that informed them of winning cash prizes, in some cases millions of dirhams.

The scam runs on sending prize winning “alerts” and then seeking advance payments to “process” the prize money or just drain the phone credit as many of them are hooked to telephone networked in countries that offer revenue-sharing telecom systems.

In almost all these cases the scamsters just shut out after they make their money.

Attributing the rising incidents of such cases to the UAE’s rising affluence reflected in its per capita income, Fairouz called for ways to protect consumers.

Khalid Al Hosni, Secretary-General and Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors of the society said efforts are on to increase awareness among telephone users.