A Dubai-based Indian housewife recently lost $500 (Dh1,836) in a phishing scam after being misled by a fake Facebook ad offering a 90% discount on Fix chocolates. The ad falsely claimed to be a UAE National Day promotion.
The Incident
Rasheeda Gadiwala, 34, who lives in Al Nahda 2, regularly shops online and initially thought the advertisement was authentic. “It had the same logo and looked believable. I’ve been shopping online for years, so I can usually tell what’s fake,” she shared.
After seeing the ad, Rasheeda consulted her husband, Hakim, before placing an order for ten chocolates priced at just Dh6.95 each. The ad promised delivery within an hour, which made it even more appealing. “My wife was very excited,” Hakim said. When the payment initially failed and no OTP (one-time password) was received, Hakim thought the transaction had been blocked and felt relieved.
However, the relief didn’t last long. The next morning, Hakim received a notification that $500 had been charged to their credit card. “My wife uses a secondary card with a low limit, which helped limit the damage. But I’m shocked they managed to charge the card without an OTP,” Hakim said.
When Hakim contacted the bank, the response was disappointing. “They said I should have been more careful,” he explained, while acknowledging some responsibility. “Thankfully, it was $500 and not $5,000. What if someone couldn’t afford such a loss?” he added.
A Rising Problem in the UAE
Rasheeda’s experience is one of many phishing scams targeting UAE residents through social media. Fraudsters use fake websites that mimic legitimate platforms, luring victims with unrealistic discounts and promotions.
For instance:
- Sarika Thadani, a Bur Dubai resident, lost Dh9,872 in August after trying to buy discounted chicken fries as a birthday treat.
- Rahul Khillare, a Dubai resident, was charged Dh14,000 instead of Dh14 for a combo meal.
- Another victim lost Dh4,848 attempting to order fast food online.
- Recently, Abdul Kader, an expat, reported losing Dh16,055 across four unauthorized transactions after clicking on a Facebook ad for discounted burgers.
Expert Warnings
Cybersecurity experts caution that these scams are becoming more sophisticated. “Fraudulent websites posing as legitimate platforms exploit users’ trust with attractive offers,” said Obaidullah Kazmi, founder and chief technology officer of CREDO Technology Services LLC.
Kazmi stressed the need for awareness campaigns and recommended that banks use AI-driven systems to detect and prevent fraudulent activities in real time.
How to Stay Safe
Authorities and banks repeatedly urge residents to:
- Verify website authenticity before making any online transactions.
- Avoid clicking on suspicious social media advertisements offering unrealistic discounts.
- Monitor credit card statements for unauthorized charges.
