Dubai Police teams up with Meta to warn public about six common online scams

Dubai Police has urged residents to stay alert against increasingly sophisticated online fraud, warning that criminals impersonate government bodies, trusted institutions, friends and relatives to steal money or sensitive data.

The warning came during an awareness forum organised by the force’s General Department of Criminal Investigation in partnership with Meta to mark Cybersecurity Awareness Month in October.

Six fraud methods highlighted

Police officials outlined six main scam techniques: impersonating official organisations, sending fraudulent links, promoting fake investment opportunities, posting bogus job offers, pretending to be friends or relatives, and attempting to take over online accounts.

Lieutenant Colonel Abdullah Al Shehhi, Director of the Cybercrime Department at the General Department of Criminal Investigation, said the forum demonstrates Dubai Police’s ongoing commitment to educating the public about digital threats and preventive measures.

Al Shehhi noted that Dubai Police is taking part in a national awareness campaign launched by the Ministry of Interior on October 1, in cooperation with Dubai Police and the Dubai Electronic Security Centre, under the slogan “A Safer UAE Through Your Digital Awareness”.

Call for digital security partnership

“This forum highlights the importance of building a strong digital security partnership between police organisations, technology companies and the community,” Al Shehhi said.

Such cooperation strengthens preventive efforts, raises awareness of online risks and helps establish a safer and more trusted digital environment amid rapid advances in technology and artificial intelligence, he added.

A panel discussion featured Lieutenant Colonel Abdullah Al Shehhi, Major Khalid Tahlak, Deputy Director for Monitoring and Security Programmes, Captain Saeed Adel Al Suwaidi, Head of the Electronic Monitoring Section, and Lieutenant Ahmed Abdullah Al Shehhi, Head of the Cybercrime Prediction and Analysis Centre Section.

The panel stressed that public awareness remains the first line of defence against cybercrime, as fraudsters develop increasingly convincing methods to target users.

Meta outlines security measures

Meta described its efforts to help protect users through awareness campaigns reaching hundreds of millions of people worldwide. The campaigns offer practical guidance on identifying scams, pausing before responding to suspicious requests, verifying the identity of senders and using security features available across Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.

The company said it uses technology, artificial intelligence and machine learning to identify patterns associated with fraudulent activity and disable accounts and networks involved in scams across its platforms.

Meta said its approach combines technological safeguards with public awareness initiatives and partnerships with government bodies and law enforcement agencies to help users identify suspicious activity, report potential scams and take preventive action.

Meta highlighted several security features designed to reduce the risk of online fraud and unauthorised account access, including two-factor authentication, passkeys and security and privacy checkup tools.

WhatsApp also offers additional protective measures, including warnings that alert users to suspicious attempts to link their accounts to unauthorised devices, as well as enhanced two-step verification measures. The messaging platform provides extra information when users receive calls from numbers not saved in their contacts, helping them make more informed decisions before engaging with unfamiliar callers.

According to Meta, more than one billion people have set up passkeys on WhatsApp. Passkeys provide an alternative to conventional passwords, allowing users to authenticate their accounts through supported device security methods.

Prevention through vigilance

The forum underlined the importance of combining public awareness, advanced security technologies and cooperation between law enforcement agencies and technology companies to address evolving cybercrime threats.

Dubai Police emphasised that informed and vigilant users play an important role in preventing online fraud, while continued awareness campaigns are essential to encouraging responsible digital behaviour.

Through its collaboration with Meta and other partners, Dubai Police aims to strengthen preventive cybersecurity measures, improve public understanding of emerging scams and help build a safer digital environment for the community.

Residents were advised to remain vigilant, avoid responding to suspicious messages and refrain from opening links from unknown sources. They should verify the identity of individuals and organisations before disclosing personal information or transferring money, and report suspected fraud promptly through official channels.