14/03/2026
UAE Scam Alert – I Got Scammed Today!
Today, I was targeted by fraudsters calling or WhatsApping from UAE numbers:
Call: 042492152
Whatsapp: 0585354465
They pretended to be government authorities (MOI, ICP, UAE Central Bank) and claimed:
• “Your Emirates ID chip must be activated for banking.”
• “All your bank cards must be linked to your Emirates ID and verified.”
How the scam worked on me:
1. I received calls and WhatsApp messages from the scammers.
2. They sent official-looking emails from MOI, ICP, and UAE Central Bank. The email addresses looked legitimate, which made me trust them.
3. They directed me to the ICP website and asked me to fill in all my card details. They told me each card must be linked and verified.
4. Shockingly, they already knew the last 4 digits of all my cards and that I had recently renewed my Emirates ID.
5. They asked me to approve the linking through UAE Pass and ADCB Mobile Banking App, but I did not realize this would actually be a money transaction.
6. The transactions were disguised as coming from “Dubai eGovernment” and “DFS”, so it looked official.
7. Two unauthorized transactions were made from my credit card, totaling AED 5,113.36, to a merchant called “E AND MONEY”.
This is an extremely sophisticated social engineering scam. It almost looked like it came from inside the government system.
What you should do if contacted:
❌ Never approve OTPs, SecurePass, or UAE Pass requests from unknown callers.
- Contact your bank immediately if money was taken.
- Report the fraud to Abu Dhabi Police or MOI e-crime portal.
Remember: No UAE authority will ever ask you to submit all your card details or approve banking transactions via phone, WhatsApp, email, or website. Stay alert and protect your money!
EmiratesID SocialEngineering UAEPolice ProtectYourMoney UAEPass ICP DubaiEGovernment DFS